New Releases

[Brian]

That Saint-Saëns edition looks really fun and I like that Warner is gonna keep making these big boxes for every French composer with all their Erato recordings and lovely impressionist paintings. This is a bit of a departure from the Berlioz and Ravel etc editions in that it is not complete by any stretch. I didn't know he wrote 600 works! Jeez. There are probably 4ish discs of solo piano originals and transcriptions missing, and the Cello Concerto No 2. And isn't there a cello and orchestra suite in D minor or something? Naxos has at least 2 ballets that this box doesn't, as well.

But let's be real...with all that chamber music, vocal stuff, and all the historical goodies on offer, that's gonna be a good box. Can't wait for the parlor game of guessing who performs what. Martinon for all 5 symphonies, or someone else for the Organ? Really hope the Septet is some sassy French recording from the 50s with crazily timbred woodwinds.

[Mirror Image]

That Saint-Saëns edition looks really fun and I like that Warner is gonna keep making these big boxes for every French composer with all their Erato recordings and lovely impressionist paintings. This is a bit of a departure from the Berlioz and Ravel etc editions in that it is not complete by any stretch. I didn't know he wrote 600 works! Jeez. There are probably 4ish discs of solo piano originals and transcriptions missing, and the Cello Concerto No 2. And isn't there a cello and orchestra suite in D minor or something? Naxos has at least 2 ballets that this box doesn't, as well.

But let's be real...with all that chamber music, vocal stuff, and all the historical goodies on offer, that's gonna be a good box. Can't wait for the parlor game of guessing who performs what. Martinon for all 5 symphonies, or someone else for the Organ? Really hope the Septet is some sassy French recording from the 50s with crazily timbred woodwinds.

Yeah, there's no way the EMI/Erato/Virgin Classics, etc. catalogs contain all of Saint-Saëns' oeuvre. Like you mentioned, he was incredibly prolific. As for the Warner set being a departure, well, the Stravinsky set released earlier would be their first set to mark this departure as that set certainly isn't complete by any stretch of the imagination. It'll be great having more Saint-Saëns solo piano and chamber music in my collection. I have quite a bit of his orchestral music already and I'm surprised that the Cello Concerto No. 2 isn't in the set. Anyway, I can't seem to find a release date as of yet. In fact, I can't even find it on Warner's website.

[JBS]

That Saint-Saëns edition looks really fun and I like that Warner is gonna keep making these big boxes for every French composer with all their Erato recordings and lovely impressionist paintings. This is a bit of a departure from the Berlioz and Ravel etc editions in that it is not complete by any stretch. I didn't know he wrote 600 works! Jeez. There are probably 4ish discs of solo piano originals and transcriptions missing, and the Cello Concerto No 2. And isn't there a cello and orchestra suite in D minor or something? Naxos has at least 2 ballets that this box doesn't, as well.

But let's be real...with all that chamber music, vocal stuff, and all the historical goodies on offer, that's gonna be a good box. Can't wait for the parlor game of guessing who performs what. Martinon for all 5 symphonies, or someone else for the Organ? Really hope the Septet is some sassy French recording from the 50s with crazily timbred woodwinds.

"Complete Solo Organ Works" is in truth only half of his organ music.

The piano music works out to about 4 1/4 CDs, plus the pieces for duo pianists.


But tbh while the piano and organ music is nice enough, it's not essential. The piano stuff in particular is very salon-oriented

[Papy Oli]

Heads up Saint-Saëns fans!

Coming soon -



I'd definitely going to be buying this! I LOVE this composer's music and I feel like there's so much that I haven't even heard yet.

Not something I ever thought I'd say less than 8 months ago but....

ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh 

[Brian]

But tbh while the piano and organ music is nice enough, it's not essential. The piano stuff in particular is very salon-oriented

Thank you for the organ info, did not know that. I absolutely love late 19th century salon piano - adore Moszkowski, Paderewski, that whole genre - but the Grand Piano label traversal of Saint-Saens piano stuff was very boxed in acoustically and as a result rather colorless. Might have a look at the Vox box.

Anyway, I can't seem to find a release date as of yet. In fact, I can't even find it on Warner's website.

Very interesting. Wonder if it's like September or October. Ask for it for Christmas 

[Brian]

Two-CD pandemic set of greatest hits and miniatures, including Debussy, Brahms, Chopin, Scarlatti, a world premiere by Eric Champagne based on a Hopper painting, the very first prelude and fugue from Shostakovich Op. 87, Berio's "Wasserklavier," and a single large-scale piece: Haydn Sonata 33 in C minor.



This is an intriguing rarity. According to Toccata, the composer is strongly influenced by the styles of Hindemith and K.A. Hartmann, but with frequent flashes of a healthy sense of humor. It looks like not only is there a Cor Anglais Concerto, but another label has previously recorded a Bass Clarinet Concerto. Gotta love somebody who pays attention to the "extra" wind instruments.

[André]

That Saint-Saëns edition looks really fun and I like that Warner is gonna keep making these big boxes for every French composer with all their Erato recordings and lovely impressionist paintings. This is a bit of a departure from the Berlioz and Ravel etc editions in that it is not complete by any stretch. I didn't know he wrote 600 works! Jeez. There are probably 4ish discs of solo piano originals and transcriptions missing, and the Cello Concerto No 2. And isn't there a cello and orchestra suite in D minor or something? Naxos has at least 2 ballets that this box doesn't, as well.

But let's be real...with all that chamber music, vocal stuff, and all the historical goodies on offer, that's gonna be a good box. Can't wait for the parlor game of guessing who performs what. Martinon for all 5 symphonies, or someone else for the Organ? Really hope the Septet is some sassy French recording from the 50s with crazily timbred woodwinds.[/b]

I like that !

[André]

Listening to right now, on Qobuz.

Schiff really brings new life to these old warhorses. He plays a Blüthner grand piano c.1859 and conducts the orchestra.

I'll be buying that. I normally don't like PI in Brahms, but the extracts on Presto sound hugely enticing. The slow mov from no 2 in particular seems revelatory - tempo, balances, playing are striking.

[JBS]

Thank you for the organ info, did not know that. I absolutely love late 19th century salon piano - adore Moszkowski, Paderewski, that whole genre - but the Grand Piano label traversal of Saint-Saens piano stuff was very boxed in acoustically and as a result rather colorless. Might have a look at the Vox box.
Very interesting. Wonder if it's like September or October. Ask for it for Christmas 

Then you definitely will want the Naxos set of Thalberg I just finished (it's a re-issue of 5 CDs from the 1990s).

[Mirror Image]

Not something I ever thought I'd say less than 8 months ago but....

ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh 

Yes, indeed. I'm rather surprised by this set, but it is the 100th Anniversary of the composer's passing, so I'm glad one of the major labels stepped up to the plate. Let's just hope they'll knock this one out of the park!

[MusicTurner]

"Complete Solo Organ Works" is in truth only half of his organ music.

(...)

Nice, but yet another ~creative Arte Nova cover - the Dunnottar castle ruins, in Scotland, whatever the reason ... I checked, and apparently Victor Hugo for example isn't associated with it.

[Brian]

Nice, but yet another ~creative Arte Nova cover - the Dunnottar castle ruins, in Scotland, whatever the reason ... I checked, and apparently Victor Hugo for example isn't associated with it.

They probably thought "organ music - it's kind of Gothic - let's find a cool picture of a castle."

[MusicTurner]

A likely reason.

[steve ridgway]

They probably thought "organ music - it's kind of Gothic - let's find a cool picture of a castle."

It'd be so cold there the organ pipes would be dust in minutes.

[Mirror Image]

For those that missed Roth's Stravinsky the first-time around:

[Mirror Image]

Upcoming:




Looks like an interesting program: Janáček, Szymanowski and Ravel.

[Mandryka]

https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA68333

[Madiel]

For those that missed Roth's Stravinsky the first-time around:

Hmm. Could be interesting.

[Mirror Image]

Hmm. Could be interesting.

Yeah, from what I recall, the performances were quite good --- they have that PI sound, which worked particularly well in The Firebird.

[Que]

https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA68333

Yes, that caught my eye as well.   

At 55 minutes not very generous playing time though...   

Was that really all the music this kind of creepy looking king of Scots listened to?