Darius Milhaud - Orchestral Works (Ronald Corp)

Information

Composer: Darius Milhaud

• (01) Le carnaval d'aix, fantasy for piano & orchestra, Op. 83b
• (13) L'apothéose de Molière, suite for chamber orchestra, Op. 286
• (19) Le carnaval de Londres, suite for orchestra, Op. 172
• (45) Le bœuf sur le toit, ballet for orchestra, Op. 58

Jack Gibbons, piano (1-12)
New London Orchestra
Ronald Corp, conductor

Date: 1992
Label: Hyperion
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDH55168

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Review

The centenary of Milhaud's birth continues to give us welcome issues of his music. I must confess to doubts as to the quality of some of these pieces, but a performance such as that of the knockabout, episodic and balletic fantasy called Le carnaval d'Aix on the new Hyperion disc is stylish and captivating, presenting the music in the best possible light. Ronald Corp is already well established in this repertory, and he and his excellent London orchestra have been well served by Christopher Palmer's recording team, to say nothing of the thoughtful yet spontaneous playing of Jack Gibbons. This disc also has full and informative booklet notes by Robert Matthew-Walker. If you like Satie's orchestral music, to which Milhaud owed much (maybe too much), this varied programme will surely give pleasure—though I still wonder how long some of the frothier items will satisfy musical appetites in search of nourishing fare. As for the neo-classical pastiche of L'Apoth-. éose de Moliere, that kind of thing was done so very much better by Ravel and Stravinsky, not least because their carefully calculated scoring Suits baroque music better than Milhaud's muddy textures; the same is true of Britten's treatment of the tunes from The Beggar's Opera which the French composer uses rather heavily and humourlessly in the 26 brief numbers of Le comaval de Londres. For many people, the plum in this collection will be the final work, Le boeuf sur Ic bit played here with plenty of Gallic verve and an enjoyment of its frequent ventures into bitonality. The recording is on the rich side, but suits the music and has adequate detail. 

The alternative Koch Schwann disc also has formidable attractions. The Saudades do Brasil usefully remind us of Milhaud's lifelong love of the dance and of his youthful period of residence in the Latin America that he came to love. The playing of the Polish orchestra under Karl Anton Rickenbacher (which was unknown to me but is a fine body of players) is as idiomatically unbuttoned as that of the Londoners under Corp on Hyperion, and the recording has plenty of body and impact. Indeed, the performance of Le Carnaval de Londres has more joyfulness and general expressive range (including delicacy) than the one on the other disc, enjoyable though that is, and it is probably useful to have each of its numbers identified by name although this takes a page and a half of the booklet. The three Rag-caprices, jazzinspired works of 1922, are no less attractively played, and altogether this is a disc of some distinction. Again, there's a good booklet-note, this time by Jeremy Drake. Milhaud enthusiasts will want to possess both of these new issues.

-- Gramophone

More reviews:

http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/h/hyp55168a.php

http://www.allmusic.com/album/darius-milhaud-le-carnaval-daix-le-carnaval-de-londres-lapotheose-de-moliere-le-bouf-sur-le-toit-mw0001420176

http://www.amazon.com/Carnaval-DAix-Londres-D-Milhaud/dp/B00026W66S

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Darius Milhaud (4 September 1892 – 22 June 1974) was a French composer, conductor and teacher. He was a member of Les Six and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century; his opus list ended at 443. Milhaud composed for a wide range of genres. His compositions are influenced by jazz and make use of polytonality. His most popular works include Le bœuf sur le toit, La création du monde, Scaramouche, and Saudades do Brasil. Milhaud taught at Mills College and the Paris Conservatoire. The jazz pianist Dave Brubeck was one of Milhaud's most famous students, along with popular songwriter Burt Bacharach.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_Milhaud

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Ronald Corp (born 4 January 1951) is a composer, conductor and Church of England priest. Corp was born and grew up in Wells, Somerset, later studying music at Oxford University. He is founder and Artistic Director of the New London Orchestra (NLO) and the New London Children's Choir. Corp is Musical Director of the London Chorus, a position he took up in 1994, and is also Musical Director of the Highgate Choral Society. As a composer, Corp's list of compositions is extensive and dominated by works for voice, whether solo, for small vocal groupings, church choirs or massive choral societies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Corp

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