Sauguet's Sanctuary

[lescamil]

You have that Koch disc of concertos? or...

Yes, that's the one I have.

[Sean]

It's always surprised me too what these wackos here know- why d'you think I come here?

I've never heard of this Sauguet character but I'll give one of his symphonies a bashing in the next few days.

Thanks ever so much for the replies  . I thought this might be a candidate for the GMG Forum Zero Response Award!  Actually I do have the CD with symphs 3 and 4 on but don't really know them - I shall rectify this soon. I realised that it was the 'Winter' section I loved most from Symphony No 2 (which I have on at the moment whilst painting the living room wall!)

[vandermolen]

It's always surprised me too what these wackos here know- why d'you think I come here?

I've never heard of this Sauguet character but I'll give one of his symphonies a bashing in the next few days.

Let us know what you think in due course.

[Sean]

Sauguet's Fourth under Almeida with the Moscow SO brings the first movement rhythmic impulses rather reminiscent of Tubin; ten minutes into the second movement sound like something from Star Trek while the rest is somewhat along the lines of Americana cinematics. As with so many composers he finds something though, in this case a curious sparse background scoring and sense of space.

[cilgwyn]

Thanks ever so much for the replies  . I thought this might be a candidate for the GMG Forum Zero Response Award!  Actually I do have the CD with symphs 3 and 4 on but don't really know them - I shall rectify this soon. I realised that it was the 'Winter' section I loved most from Symphony No 2 (which I have on at the moment whilst painting the living room wall!)

You must have an interesting living room wall by now,Vandermolen! Have you tried painting to 'The Rite of Spring' or anything by Jon Leifs?!!

[vandermolen]

Jon Leifs would be disastrous for wall painting. A colleague (unsympathetic to his music) describe a CD I lent him of Leif's music as sounding like someone blowing up a paper bag and then bursting it! This could result in a pot of paint catastrophe. Personally, though, I rather like Leifs's music.

[cilgwyn]

I remember playing the BIS cd of his Saga Symphony to my late Mother & warning her about those sudden thumps! She found out what I meant & managed another ten years!!

[cilgwyn]

Sauguet sounds intriguing. The Second Symphony takes up two whole cds!! Yet,despite some enthusiastic posts & reviews (on Amazon) I find myself somewhat put off by Mirror Image's posts. Maybe No1 would be my best bet if  I were to take the plunge?!!

[cilgwyn]

Another massive, and obscure symphony,in this case, for choir,organ (and tenor solo) that really does grab me is Tournemire's Sixth. Very impressive. I love all of his symphonies. I only wish a cd label like Timpani would show some interest!

The rotters!!

[Sean]

Hearing Sauguet's Fourth for a fifth time it's visionary wide eyed character emerges, really rather disconnected and some of it fittable into a sci-fi film but it fills a small gap in the expressive realms of the 20th century symphony.

Sauguet's Fourth under Almeida with the Moscow SO brings the first movement rhythmic impulses rather reminiscent of Tubin; ten minutes into the second movement sound like something from Star Trek while the rest is somewhat along the lines of Americana cinematics. As with so many composers he finds something though, in this case a curious sparse background scoring and sense of space.

[vandermolen]

I was delighted to find a newish release of an alternative recording of Sauguet's moving and powerful Symphony No.1 'Expiatoire'. This is actually a much earlier recording than the more familiar one on Marco Polo under Ernest Bour with the Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise from 1948. Only four years after the symphony was composed in 1944. It is played with much greater urgency than the Marco Polo version and is nine minutes shorter, lasting under 45 minutes. Allowances must be made for the age of the recording but I would not be without either recording of this magnificent brooding work. Furthermore it comes coupled with the most moving performance I have heard of Bloch's 'Schelomo' recorded in 1952 with the same orchestral forces with Maurice Marechal as the soloist:

Here is a review of the CD:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2017/Jan/Sauguet_sy1_FR1229.htm