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The historical performance group Les Siècles and conductor François-Xavier Roth is accumulating a sterling catalog of late 19th century and early 20th century French music, and this one may be the most revelatory yet, with a sequence of true riches. The historical instruments, with Roth's lively approach, result in especially lively performances of the evergreen Le Carnaval des Animaux: Grande fantaisie zoologique ("The Carnival of the Animals") and of the Danse macabre, Op. 40, but that is just the beginning. Le Carnaval des Animaux features a unique two-person "piano vis-à-vis," a face-to-face piano of the day. It seems inconceivable that L'Assassinat du Duc de Guise, Op. 128, is not better known, for this was history's first piece of film music (composed in 1908). Owing to budget constraints, it was written for a small chamber ensemble, not an orchestra, and its sonorities are unlike those of any other Saint-Saëns work. Nor are the three symphonic poems in the first part of this double-album set without interest. Two of them are devoted to the figure of Hercules, whose exploits would have been better known to a 19th century French audience than to those today, but a bit of research will reveal plenty of vivid references. The first part ends with a wonderfully unrestrained Bacchanale from the opera Samson et Dalila, Op. 47. Some of these pieces are familiar; most will be unknown, except perhaps to French audiences, but here, nothing seems like a pause or letdown. Add in clear, detailed studio sound from Harmonia Mundi, and this album becomes a rare standout, even among the flood of Saint-Saëns releases recorded during the centennial year of the composer's death in 1921.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
Paul Bateman, Arranger - CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
DISC 2
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist - Michaël Ertzscheid, Piano, MainArtist - Jean Sugitani, Piano, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist - Antoine Sobczak, MainArtist, DoubleBass
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist - Marion Ralincourt, Flute, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
L'Assassinat du duc de Guise, Op. 128 (Camille Saint-Saëns)
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Les Siècles, Orchestra, MainArtist - François-Xavier Roth, Conductor, MainArtist
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
Album review
The historical performance group Les Siècles and conductor François-Xavier Roth is accumulating a sterling catalog of late 19th century and early 20th century French music, and this one may be the most revelatory yet, with a sequence of true riches. The historical instruments, with Roth's lively approach, result in especially lively performances of the evergreen Le Carnaval des Animaux: Grande fantaisie zoologique ("The Carnival of the Animals") and of the Danse macabre, Op. 40, but that is just the beginning. Le Carnaval des Animaux features a unique two-person "piano vis-à-vis," a face-to-face piano of the day. It seems inconceivable that L'Assassinat du Duc de Guise, Op. 128, is not better known, for this was history's first piece of film music (composed in 1908). Owing to budget constraints, it was written for a small chamber ensemble, not an orchestra, and its sonorities are unlike those of any other Saint-Saëns work. Nor are the three symphonic poems in the first part of this double-album set without interest. Two of them are devoted to the figure of Hercules, whose exploits would have been better known to a 19th century French audience than to those today, but a bit of research will reveal plenty of vivid references. The first part ends with a wonderfully unrestrained Bacchanale from the opera Samson et Dalila, Op. 47. Some of these pieces are familiar; most will be unknown, except perhaps to French audiences, but here, nothing seems like a pause or letdown. Add in clear, detailed studio sound from Harmonia Mundi, and this album becomes a rare standout, even among the flood of Saint-Saëns releases recorded during the centennial year of the composer's death in 1921.
© James Manheim /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 25 track(s)
- Total length: 01:33:02
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Les Siècles François-Xavier Roth
- Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns
- Label: harmonia mundi
- Genre: Classical Symphonic Music Symphonies
2023 harmonia mundi 2023 harmonia mundi
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