Scène du bal and Vieille Chanson from 'Le Roi s'amuse' (1882)
17:06
(The King Amuses Himself / The King Has Fun)
Airs de danse dans le style ancien
(Dance Tunes in the Olden Style)
5.
1
Gaillarde. Moderato ben marcato
2:57
6.
2
Pavane 'Belle qui tiens ma vie'. Allegretto
2:32
7.
3
Scène du bouquet. Andante (sans lenteur)
2:10
8.
4
Lesquercarde. Allegro
1:32
9.
5
Madrigal. Andantino
2:11
10.
6
Passepied. Allegro
1:46
11.
Vielle Chanson (avec mandoline). Moderato
2:49
Theodor Sink cello
Ants Ónnis mandolin
12.
Final (Reprise de la Gaillarde). Moderato
1:03
JULES MASSENET
Espada (1908)
29:09
(Sword)
Ballet in One Act
13.
Allegro -
0:38
14.
Madrilena - Più mosso -
2:16
15.
Marche des Toréadors. Allegro brillante -
1:58
16.
Panderos. Allegretto con moto - Più mosso - Allegro -
3:05
17.
Scène de l'Espada. Allegro - Allegro pappassionato -
4:18
Allegro - Più mosso - Allegro moderato - Allegro vivo -
18.
Scène des Cartes. Allegro - Allegro stesso Tempo - Più lento -
2:02
19.
Boléro. Allegro moderato - Più caloroso - Molto più mosso -
1:54
20.
Toréador et Andalouse. Allegro moderato - Animando - Andante -
3:30
Allegro - Animando - Più mosso -
21.
La Danse de la Mercédès. Allegro con moto - Più mosso -
4:24
Più mosso ancora - Allegro -
22.
Fandango. Allegro vivo - Allegro con moto -
2:30
23.
La Danse de la Mercédès [Allegro con moto] - Più mosso -
2:29
Più mosso ancora - Largo
Total time: 78:05
Orchestra: Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
Arvo Leibur leader
Conductor:Neeme Järvi
30 and 31 May 2018 (Espada), 6 May 2019 (Overtures to Raymond, Fra Diavolo
and Le Calife de Bagdad), and 31 May 2019 (other works)
Notes
For their latest album, Neeme Järvi and his Estonian National Symphony Orchestra present a delightful programme of lesser-known stage music from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Overtures by Thomas, Auber and Boieldieu were all composed for works staged at the OpéraComique in Paris, and are wonderful examples of the period.
The ‘Scène du bal’ and ‘Vieille Chanson’ from Le Roi s’amuse were written by Delibes in 1882 as incidental music for Victor Hugo’s play, first performed in 1832 but banned after the first performance because it was deemed to be an attack on the reigning monarch, Louis Philippe. The play, which went on to form the basis of the libretto for Verdi’s Rigoletto, was eventually revived with some success, with Delibes’s score an important factor. Massenet’s one-act ballet Espada dates from 1908, and is the most recent – and most substantial – work on the album. Set in Spain, the work clearly owes more than one idea to Bizet’s Carmen (‘The Card Game’ and ‘March of the Toreadors’ for example), but musically and orchestrally it is pure Massenet.
Please login to post a review
Reviews
Recommended
“… This super disc gives much enjoyment, and exudes orchestral colour… the sound is to Chandos’s usual high standard. Nigel Simeone’s essay, concise and informative, adds to the listening pleasure. All in all, this is a most rewarding and highly recommendable disc.”
Stuart Sillitoe – MusicWeb-International.com – 16 June 2021
“There’s much to enjoy here and admire, both in the performances and the selections on hand, which hardly dwell on the usual suspects or limit themselves too narrowly.”
Jonathan Blumhofer – theartsfuse.org – 18 April 2021
Performance **** Recording *****
“… [the performance] displays the splendid conjunction of subtlety and élan we have come to expect from these performers… the disc is worth buying for the music by Ambroise Thomas and Delibes… Delibes’s incidental music to Le Roi s’amuse, with its passing modal inflections and abundant charm, provides the undoubted highlight of the disc…”
Roger Nichols – BBC Music magazine – May 2021
“Contributing to their exemplary series of neglected music by composers specialising in colourful and accessible orchestral works, this latest Chandos disc is … very attractive. Neeme Järvi and his Estonian forces give a sparkling reading of Massenet’s one-act ballet Espada…”
Barry Forshaw – cdchoice.co.uk – 11 April 2021
“… It’s another lovely album of French music from Järvi and hugely enjoyable.”
Tim Ashley – Gramophone magazine – April 2021
Media Downloads
Whenever possible we provide a high resolution CD cover image and a PDF version of the CD booklet for you to download and keep. These are found in your history if purchased and once you have logged in.