Mihaud's music is often very tasty, as in a Provençal "osterie"/osteria... but the Orestie reeks of blood , sweat and tears (at least it should).
I'm working my way through this monstrously massive score that, after almost 90-100 years still manages to disturb. The Naxos recording is a brave (and very welcome) undertaking, but , allow me to say ( inspite of the efforts), "not French enough".
It propably comes as no surprise that the pronunciation of both soloists and chorus does not always have the utmost French clarity. The rythmically spoken roles of "a choéphore" (Sophie Delphis in Les Choéphores and the somewhat exotic sounding Julianna di Giacomo) are good but, to my ears, not better than the outstanding Claude Nollier on the (ca 1955?) DGG recording with Markevitch or Vera Zorina for Bernstein ( Choéphores only). On You Tube one can listen to the ca 1928 recording with Claire Croiza / De Vocht. Great voice & excellent prosody:
http://www.youtube.com/v/cEk0W0C2uJQhttp://www.youtube.com/v/YJVE4IbpumQStill, there's no doubt about the integrity of the undertaking (thanks go to William Bolcom).
This colossal work would be a huge challenge for any professional orchestra and chorus. And for the soloists. The vocal range - esp. for the sopranos - can be extremely high and taxing, over very long stretches. The role of Athena, in Les Euménides, is sung by three singers (sop.,mezzo, alto) and is cruelly taxing.
Anyway, to my ears this performance gives Milhaud lovers a great opportunity to hear l'Orestie complete and in a very committed performance.
In 1988 Reinbert de Leeuw conducted the complete Orestie in Amsterdam, with a superb chorus and a very good Choéphore : Anne Fournet. I witnessed that very impressive performance.
Among the soloists: soprano: June Card, sop.Viorica Cortez , bar; Charles van Tassel, Anne Fournet as "récitante"/a Choéphore, sop. Maria Oran, alto Ans Van dam etc.
Dutch Radio SO , Groot Omroepkoor en het Koor van de Nederlandse Opera.
Koninklijk Concertgebouw Amsterdam, 25th June 1988
More recently in Lille and Paris , Jean Claude Casadesus performed les Choéphores with actress Nicole Garcia as reciter. Casadesus should do a complete recording... his performance was really excellent.
Anyway, I'm happy with these Naxos discs...but will patiently wait for a French version......
INA / French Radio archives has a recording (download) of Les Euménides only , Charles Bruck conductor

Peter