New Releases

[Brian]

I don't know it, unfortunately. When I was reading Diaghilev biography I was intending to hear all the ballets he commissioned, but few of the less known fell through the cracks. I got the two Tcherepnin ballets and couple of issues of Hanssler's Les Ballets Russes series (Schmitt, Auric, Tommasini, Sauguet), but missed the Dukelsky, then another out of print Chandos disc with Nicolas Nabokov's Ode and Constant Lambert's Romeo and Juliet on Hyperion.

What would be your top choice(s) among the less famous Ballets Russes?

[Karl Henning]

What would be your top choice(s) among the less famous Ballets Russes?

If this qualify, the Strauss Josephslegende, Op. 63.

[Drasko]

What would be your top choice(s) among the less famous Ballets Russes?

Less famous are actually in minority which is I think great testament to Diaghilev's incredible ear and taste.

Florent Schmitt's Le tragedie de Salome is magnificent piece, dramatic in rich, opulent late romantic/impressionistic style, foreshadowing Stravinsky in some daring rhythmic writing.

Darius Milhaud's Le train bleu is huge personal favorite, aesthetically polar opposite from Schmitt. Irresistible profound frivolity of 1920s, I love it but I must admit it may not be to all tastes. I wrote more about it here. I find the Markevitch recording easily preferable to the one on Hanssler

Nicholas Tcherepnin's first ballet Le Pavillon d'Armide is not a great piece by any means but it's infectiously fun and catchy, in style of classic Russian ballets sometimes running too close to being Tchaikovsky pastiche.

Nicholas Tcherepnin's second ballet Narcisse et Echo is somewhere halfway between Rimsky and Ravel, all shimmering orchestration but so boring.

Henri Sauguet's La Chatte is enjoyable piece in Le Six vein, but not quite reaching the greatness of something like Poulenc's Les biches.

Vincenzo Tomassini's Les femmes de bonne humeur is lovely orchestration of several Scarlatti sonatas, nowhere near orginality of Starvinsky's Pulcinella, more in line with Respighi's orchestrations also done for Ballets Russes. Again Markevitch is preferable to Hanssler.

With two Auric's ballets (vol.8 of Hanssler series) I'm not yet familiar enough to comment.

[André]

 I have never heard or seen advertised Milhaud's Le train bleu. Where can it be found ?

[Drasko]

I have never heard or seen advertised Milhaud's Le train bleu. Where can it be found ?

Paris Opera Ballet DVD of reconstruction of original production:
http://www.amazon.com/Diaghilev-Cocteau-Picasso-Dance-Ballet/dp/B000BZIT4S

Igor Markevitch's 70s recording with Monte Carlo orchestra:
originally on Ades
http://www.amazon.com/Musiciens-Francais-Ballets-Russes-Poulenc/dp/B000004C7T
reisued on Scribendum:
http://www.scribendumrecordings.com/our-shop/4583959841/sc014-3cd---the-concert-hall-recordings---igor-markevitch/8065027

Volume 9 of Hanssler Les Ballets Russes series:
http://www.amazon.com/Les-Ballets-Russes-Vol-9/dp/B00ARWDQXY

[André]

You're the best, a living encyclopedia !  . The Markevitch disc seems exactly what I' d like to have. But not at that price  ! .  Hopefully Scribendum did a good job in transferring from the originals.

[Drasko]

You're the best, a living encyclopedia !  . The Markevitch disc seems exactly what I' d like to have. But not at that price  ! .  Hopefully Scribendum did a good job in transferring from the originals.

You have the Scribendum box at Berkshire for $21. Sound is fine.

[Brian]

Rossini: Petite Messe solennelle
Julia Lezhneva (soprano), Delphine Galou (contralto), Michael Spyres (tenor) & Alexander Vinogradov (bass)
Accentus [choir] & Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, Ottavio Dantone

The Orchestre de Chambre de Paris is very busy - this is I think their 5th disc in 12 months!

[ritter]

Some interesting new releases from France:



Some orchestral works by Reynaldo Hahn. Of course, Le Bal de Béatrice d'Este has been recorded previously, and the Concerto provençal had been available on LP, conducted by Oubradours IIRC (and never transferred to CD AFAIK), but the Sérénade and Divertissement pour une fête de nuit seem to be first recordings ever. Scheduled for release in April.

[asin]B00SZ0ONZ0[/asin]
This 8-CD set of "concerts inédits", celebrating 80 years of the Orchestre National de France will appear in mid-March (beware, the price in Europe is much lower than what amazon.com currently quotes). I can't find the exact contents, but the composers included seem to be Berg, Roussel,  Magnard, Ambroise Thomas , Dvorak, Debussy, Shostakovitch, Lalo, Poulenc, Mahler, Berlioz, Xenakis, Stravinsky, Brahms, Haydn, Berio, Beethoven, Cherubini, Ravel, Messiaen, Tchaikovski, Richard Strauss, Wagner and Prokofiev. The conductors mentioned are Cluytens, Schuricht , Dutoit, Munch, Abbado, Gatti, Inghelbrecht, Jochum, Ormandy, Prêtre, Horenstein, Martinon,  Krips, Masur, Bernstein, Rosenthal, Kletzki, Paray, Muti, Désormière, Ozawa and Celibidache (plus a lot of distinguished vocal and instrumental soloists).

[Peter Power Pop]

Some interesting new releases from France:

...

[asin]B00SZ0ONZ0[/asin]
This 8-CD set of "concerts inédits", celebrating 80 years of the Orchestre National de France will appear in mid-March (beware, the price in Europe is much lower than what amazon.com currently quotes). I can't find the exact contents, but the composers included seem to be Berg, Roussel,  Magnard, Ambroise Thomas , Dvorak, Debussy, Shostakovitch, Lalo, Poulenc, Mahler, Berlioz, Xenakis, Stravinsky, Brahms, Haydn, Berio, Beethoven, Cherubini, Ravel, Messiaen, Tchaikovski, Richard Strauss, Wagner and Prokofiev. The conductors mentioned are Cluytens, Schuricht , Dutoit, Munch, Abbado, Gatti, Inghelbrecht, Jochum, Ormandy, Prêtre, Horenstein, Martinon,  Krips, Masur, Bernstein, Rosenthal, Kletzki, Paray, Muti, Désormière, Ozawa and Celibidache (plus a lot of distinguished vocal and instrumental soloists).

Tower Records Japan has the track list (translation by Google):

http://tower.jp/article/feature_item/2015/03/05/1101

[CD1] French tradition [1h18'16]
Debussy: Nocturnes [1. Clouds 2. Festival 3. Sirene (siren)] [5'07]
Désiré-Émile Inghelbrecht commander, RTF choir
recording : March 20, 1958 (Debussy's death 40 anniversary festival), Theatre des Champs-Elysees
Lalo: "chair of the king" Overture [12'18]
Paul Paray Conductor
Recording: November 25, 1970, Theatre des Champs-Elysees
Roussel: Bacchus and Ariadne [16'36]
Charles Munch Conductor
Recording: January 1, 1966, Baden-Baden
Poulenc: villagers of song [10'51]
Roger Désormière conductor, Pierre Bernac (baritone)
Recording: April 1944 24 day, Sal Gavu~o
    (Pierre Schaeffer experimental studio recording)
Albéric Magnard (1865-1914):
Hymntojustice (Hymn to justice) op.14 [13'13]
Manuel Rosenthal conductor
Recording: September 28, 1944 , Champs Elysees theater
    (after 1944 Paris release, record of the first round of concerts)

[CD2] 1950's repertoire of expansion [1h17'58]
Beethoven: Coriolan Overture [7'25]
Carl Schuricht Conductor
Recording: March 24, 1959, Theatre des Champs-Elysees
    (French National Orchestra 25th Anniversary Concert) [ supra ALT210 / 11]
Mahler: wandering youth of song [16'16]
Carl Schuricht commander
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone)
Recording: September 9, 1957, Besancon Municipal theater
[supra TAH646]
R. Strauss: Till · Oirenshupi over amusing prank of gel [15'13]
Josef Crips Conductor
Recording: October 10, 1957, the Champs-Elysees theater
Alban Berg: by postcard statement of Peter Altenberg
                 five orchestral accompaniment songs op.4 [11 '35]
Jascha Horenstein commander, Irma Korasshi (soprano)
Recording: May 4, 1953, Theatre des Champs-Elysees
Ravel: Two Hebrew song
Paul Kletzki commander, Victoria de los Angeles (soprano)
Recording: December 1, 1955, Theatre des Champs-Elysees
Stravinsky: Firebird (Suite) [19'26]
Andre Cluytens Conductor
Recording: January 30, 1956

[CD3] from ORTF to ONF
  (from the French National Radio orchestra to the French National Orchestra) [1h16'54]
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 1 & No. 2 (excerpt) [23'53]
[Suite second Ban than - Mondagyu house and Capulet family, girl Juliet,
Juliet of the front of the tomb Romeo / from Suite No. 1 - death of Tiboruto]
Sergiu Celibidache Conductor
Recording: May 29, 1974, Theatre des Champs-Elysees
Ravel: Scheherazade [17 ' 59]
Leonard Bernstein, Marilyn Horne (soprano)
Recording: September 20, 1975, Theatre des Champs-Elysees
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring [34'57]
Lorin Maazel
recording: July 8, 1980, Champs Elysees theater

[CD4] journey of fellow
  -Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Riccardo Muti [1h2'29]
Ambroise Thomas: Ramon or queen of the secret of Overture [9'26]
Leonard Bernstein Conductor
Recording: November 21, 1981 , Champs Elysees theater
Debussy: sea [23'55]
Seiji Ozawa
Recording: May 28, 1984, Theatre des Champs-Elysees
Cherubini: "Rodoisuka" Overture [10'26]
Riccardo Muti commander, Theatre des Champs-Elysees
Recording: January 2004 15 Sun
Haydn: Symphony No. 39 in G minor [18'36]
Riccardo Muti conductor
Recording: March 13, 2008, Theatre des Champs-Elysees

[CD5] from the 20th century to the 21st century
- Charles Dutoit, Kurt Masur, Daniele Gatti [1h15'21]
Berlioz: "pirate" [8'16]
Charles Dutoit Conductor
Recording: December 3, 1993, Champs Elysees theater
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1 in F minor op.10 [31'41]
Kurt Masur Conductor
Recording: September 23, 2004, Champs Elysees theater
Wagner: Prelude and love of death from Tristan and Isolde [18'50]
Daniele Gatti conductor
Recording: October 30, 2013, Parma Royal Theatre
Ravel: Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2 [16'26]
Daniele Gatti Conductor
Recording: March 28, 2012, Theatre des Champs-Elysees

[CD6] summit decisive battle that 1 [1h0'54]
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major op.35
Eugen Jochum conductor, Christian Ferras (violin)
Recording: April 9, 1964, Champs Elysees theater
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 C major op.26
Claudio Abbado, Martha Argerich (piano)
Recording: November 12, 1969, Theatre des Champs-Elysees

[CD7] summit decisive battle that 2 [1h19'07]
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major op.77
Eugene Ormandy Conductor, Isaac Stern (violin)
Recording: January 24, 1972, Theatre des Champs-Elysees
Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B minor, op .104
Charles Dutoit conductor, Yo-Yo Ma (cello)
Recording: January 21, 1993, Theatre des Champs-Elysees

[CD8] premiere [1h14 ']
Henri Dutilleux: Symphony No. 1 [31'21]
Roger Désormière Conductor
Recording: June 7, 1951, Theatre des Champs-Elysees (world premiere)
Poulenc: Monte Carlo of the woman [7 '31]
Georges Pretre commander
De~yunisu Duvall (soprano)
Recording: December 5, 1961, Theatre des Champs-Elysees (world premiere)
Xenakis: ST48 [9'32]
Lukas Foss Conductor
Recording: October 26, 1968, Theatre du la Myujiku de Paris (world premiere)
Luciano Berio: Carmo [4'40]
Luciano Berio commander, Cathy Berberian (mezzo-soprano)
Recording: May 14, 1976, Salle Pleyel (Paris premiere)

[ritter]

Thanks, Peter Power Pop, for the detailed info... Looks very interesting to me... 

But Strauss's Oirenshupi over amusing prank of gel is bound to become a classic 

[Camphy]

The Kuijken Quartet is made up of two generations of musicians from the Kuijken family (Veronica, Sigiswald, Sara and Wieland Kuijken). They are joined on this recording by Michel Boulanger as the first cello. Whilst the Kuijken family name is generally linked with period performance practice, they are playing here on so-called modern instruments. The group has however attempted to re-capture the style and spirit of Schubert's time.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Challenge%2BClassics/CC72647

[The new erato]

Capriccio are starting a cheap rerelase of their Weill recordings. Here are the first 5CD box at 10 GBP (in the new releases list at mdt):



CD 1 DIE DREIGROSCHENOPER / THE THREEPENNY OPERA (Text: Bertolt Brecht)
CD 2 DIE SIEBEN TODSÜNDEN / THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS (Text: Bertolt Brecht) MAHAGONNY SONGSPIEL
CD 3 DER LINDBERGHFLUG / LINDBERGH'S FLIGHT DER JASAGER / HE WHO SAYS YES (School Opera, 1930)
CD 4 + 5 DER SILBERSEE / THE SILVER LAKE Ein Wintermärchen / A Winter's Tale (Text: Georg Kaiser)

Another 5 CD set is under preparation.

[Que]

The Kuijken Quartet is made up of two generations of musicians from the Kuijken family (Veronica, Sigiswald, Sara and Wieland Kuijken). They are joined on this recording by Michel Boulanger as the first cello. Whilst the Kuijken family name is generally linked with period performance practice, they are playing here on so-called modern instruments. The group has however attempted to re-capture the style and spirit of Schubert's time.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Challenge%2BClassics/CC72647

Will definitely investigate! 

Q

[Wakefield]

The Kuijken Quartet is made up of two generations of musicians from the Kuijken family (Veronica, Sigiswald, Sara and Wieland Kuijken). They are joined on this recording by Michel Boulanger as the first cello. Whilst the Kuijken family name is generally linked with period performance practice, they are playing here on so-called modern instruments. The group has however attempted to re-capture the style and spirit of Schubert's time.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Challenge%2BClassics/CC72647

Tu quoque, Sigiswald, fili mi? 

P.S.: Apparently these days I'm in Latin mood. 

[Wakefield]

J.S. Bach: Ein Musikalisches Opfer BWV 1079
Ricercar Consort



A must have in my book, even if I don't know the harpsichordist...   

[Moonfish]

J.S. Bach: Ein Musikalisches Opfer BWV 1079
Ricercar Consort



A must have in my book, even if I don't know the harpsichordist...   

Interesting! I was severely tempted by this release last night, but resisted valiantly!!  0:)

[Todd]

Dvorak other than Op 96, plus a new recording of Schulhoff's First.  Rather tempting.

[Todd]

[Todd]

I like Gulda, but this seems to be a pointless, as well as poorly named, release.  Using Google translate to decipher the Japanese:


Gulda : Four Rico
Than minuet - Cello Concerto : ● Gulda
● Mozart : Fantasia in D minor K.397
● Gulda : Aria ( solo version)
● Gulda : Prelude and Fugue
● Debussy : Binyo Mon - Preludes Volume 2 third song
● Debussy : flaxen hair of girl - Preludes songs Volume 1 eighth
● Chopin : Etudes C-sharp minor op.25-7
● Chopin : Barcarolle F-sharp major op.60
● Chopin : Nocturne F-sharp major op.15-2
● Schubert : Impromptu G-flat major D.899, op.90-3
● Johann Strauss II : call the customers than in my hobby ~ comic opera " Die Fledermaus "
● Johann Strauss II : from close fellow yo ~ comic opera " Die Fledermaus "
● folk / Gulda ed : the cab song