César Franck - Orchestral Works (Daniel Barenboim; Ernest Ansermet)

Information

Composer: César Franck

1. Rédemption, M. 52
2. Nocturne, song for voice & piano, M. 85 (arr. Guy Ropartz)
3. Le Chasseur maudit (The Accursed Huntsman), M. 44: Andantino quasi allegretto -
4. Le Chasseur maudit (The Accursed Huntsman), M. 44: L'istesso tempo - Poco più animato - Poco meno vivo -
5. Le Chasseur maudit (The Accursed Huntsman), M. 44: Molto lento -
6. Le Chasseur maudit (The Accursed Huntsman), M. 44: Più animato - Allegro molto - Poco più allegro - Quasi presto
7. Psyché, M. 47: 1. The Sleep de Psyché
8. Psyché, M. 47: 2. Psyché abducted by Zephyrs
9. Psyché, M. 47: 3. The Gardens of Eros
10. Psyché, M. 47: 4. Psyché and Eros
11. Les Éolides, M. 43

Christa Ludwig, mezzo-soprano (2)
Orchestre de Paris, cond. Daniel Barenboim (1-10)
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, cond. Ernest Ansermet (11)

Date: 1967 (11), 1976 (1-10)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon

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Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 8

This Eloquence disc conveniently gathers all five of César Franck’s tone poems, which, along with his Symphony in C, constitute the bulk of his orchestral output. Franck’s inspiration ranges from the deeply spiritual in Rédemption (the Morceau symphonique is all that’s usually performed of Franck’s beautiful though somewhat ponderous oratorio), to the poetic (Nocturne and Les Éolides), to prose and mythology (Le Chasseur maudit and Psyché). These last two especially showcase Franck’s skillful, imaginative orchestral writing. Le Chasseur maudit vividly conjures the thrill of a nighttime hunt, while parts of Psyché (particularly the Les jardins d’Eros) point toward Debussy.

Daniel Barenboim (joined by a radiant Christa Ludwig in Nocturne) leads generally excellent performances with the Orchestre de Paris (though Le Chasseur is bested by López-Cobos’ hell-raising rendition with the Cincinnati Symphony on Telarc) in all except Les Éolides, which receives a brightly colored, beautifully realized reading by Ernest Ansermet and the L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. The remastered recordings reproduce with satisfying presence, depth, and dynamic range.

-- Victor Carr Jr, ClassicsToday

More reviews:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2005/Aug05/Franck_Redemption_4762800.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Franck-R%C3%A9demption-Nocturne-Chasseur-%C3%89olides/dp/B0007MR2DY

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César Franck (10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life. As an organist he was particularly noted for his skill in improvisation. Franck is considered by many the greatest composer of organ music after Bach. Franck exerted a significant influence on music. He helped to renew and reinvigorate chamber music and developed the use of cyclic form. He became professor at the Paris Conservatoire in 1872, his pupils included Vincent d'Indy, Ernest Chausson, Louis Vierne, Charles Tournemire, Guillaume Lekeu and Henri Duparc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9sar_Franck

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Daniel Barenboim (born 15 November 1942) is an Argentine-born pianist and conductor who is a citizen of Argentina, Israel, Palestine and Spain. He is general music director of the Berlin State Opera, and the Staatskapelle Berlin; he previously served as Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris and La Scala in Milan. Barenboim is known for his work with the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra, a Seville-based orchestra of young Arab and Israeli musicians, and as a resolute critic of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Barenboim

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