Martin Helmchen - Indy - Saint-Saëns - Chausson - Symphonic Works - Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Marek Janowski - PentaTone PTC 5186.357 (2011) SACD rip via PS3 to iso (3.16GB) | 24bit/88.2kHz flac | Mch (2.36GB) (+3.37dB gain) | 2ch (994MB) DR15 (+4.1dB gain) | Classical A Polyhymnia recording, so probably DSD, but unless they state so clearly in the booklet one is left wondering to some extent. www.polyhymnia.nl ---------------------------------------------------------------------- All the pieces included here are by French composers who lived during the impressionist period. D’Indy’s Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français is a sort of hybrid work, a mixture of a symphony & a piano concerto. This work enables the highly regarded Martin Helmchen to demonstrate his musical & technical skills once again. ------------------------- The luminous orchestral palettre of d'Indy's Symphonie sur un chant montagnard francais is beautifully defined here, with Martin Helmchen a scintillating partner in the piano solo, & Chausson's Soir de fete is given with due rapture & instrumental glow. This is an imaginative programme, performed with panache. ~ Gramophone Janowski & his rejuvenated orchestra ensure that elegant phrasing, transparent textures & a balletic rhythmic awareness generate colour & atmosphere without overload. No profound hidden agendas, just a vital, smiling realization of unpretentious music beautifully crafted for enjoyment by audience & performers alike. ~ Record Review A full-blooded approach lends impetus to Chausson’s Soir de fête, & Saint-Saëns’s 2nd Symphony achieves cohesion through Marek Janowski’s conducting & the orchestra’s playing. ~ The Daily Telegraph French music of the late Romantic era was almost completely overshadowed by the established German tradition, to the effect that many exceptional composers, such as Vincent d'Indy, Camille Saint-Saëns, & Ernest Chausson, were relegated to secondary status behind their German colleagues, & their works were seriously under-performed. This situation persisted through the 20th century, & the works on this 2011 hybrid-SACD from PentaTone Classics might seem unfamiliar because they were seldom programmed & recorded. Fortunately, in the 21st century there are champions for French symphonic music, such as Marek Janowski & the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, & the ongoing rediscovery of this somewhat neglected repertoire promises a restoration of some great pieces. Perhaps best known of the 3 selections, d'Indy's Symphony on a French Mountain Air is wonderfully atmospheric, & its delicate orchestration & evanescent moods in some ways anticipate Impressionism. The Symphony #2 in A minor is played far less frequently than Saint-Saëns' extremely popular Symphony #3, 'Organ,' though it is a solid piece of craftsmanship & is quite representative of the Classically oriented French symphonies produced in the mid-19th century. On its surface, Chausson's Soir de fête seems to have the strongest German flavour, yet while the composer was plainly influenced by Liszt & Wagner, the piece also owes a considerable amount of its verve to Berlioz. Janowski & the orchestra present these works with smooth technique & scintillating colors, & the depth & lushness of the ensemble's sound come across impressively in the Mch format. ~ AllMusic “Not a single millionaire among the many in Paris is even thinking about doing something for classical music. No, any composer outside of theatrical scene attempting to write a substantial work in Paris is left completely to his own resources.” Thus wrote a bitter Hector Berlioz in 1854. About 30 years later, the music world in France had a completely different appearance. The defeat suffered in the French-Prussian war in 1870 had resulted in an upsurge of nationalism, of which music had reaped the benefits. In the concert hall, the reign of the German composers was slowly being usurped by the French composers. An important contributing factor was the founding of the Société Nationale de Musique in 1871. Proudly announcing its slogan ‘Ars Gallica’, this institute stimulated the composition & performance of French (instrumental) music. The Société brought about the 1st performances of new compositions by Chabrier, Debussy, Dukas, Ravel, Fauré, Franck & Lalo, to mention but a few. Furthermore, composers such as Jules Pasdeloup, Edouard Colonne (Concerts Colonne) & Charles Lamoureux (Concerts Lamoureux) placed a major role. Tracks: 01-Indy: Symphony on a French Mountain Air Op. 25 - Assez lent. - Modérément animé 02-Indy: Symphony on a French Mountain Air Op. 25 - Assez modéré, maissans lenteur 03-Indy: Symphony on a French Mountain Air Op. 25 - Animé 04-Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 2 in A minor Op. 55 - Allegro marcato - Allegro appassionato 05-Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 2 in A minor Op. 55 - Adagio 06-Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 2 in A minor Op. 55 - Scherzo Presto 07-Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 2 in A minor Op. 55 - Prestissimo 08-Chausson: Soir de fête - Symphonic poem Op. 32 Time: 62 minutes Musicians: Martin Helmchen - piano Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Marek Janowski - conductor Composers: Vincent d'Indy (1851-1931) Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) Ernest Chausson (1855-1899) http://www.filefactory.com/folder/c96c2b341ef3a6a6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Checksum for iso: 5d69e3b8a6d0c63aa45ff62d87ba023d *Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Marek Janowski - Indy Saint-Saens Chausson - Symphonic Works.iso Checksums for flac tracks Mch: 0dc67dbb3aaabf752a17868d3d6ac75a *Indy Saint-Saëns Chausson - Symphonic Works -Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Janowski.cue d55c518642f81e8b4b4190d769475611 *Indy Saint-Saëns Chausson - Symphonic Works -Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Janowski.flac Checksums for flac tracks 2ch: 0dc67dbb3aaabf752a17868d3d6ac75a *Indy Saint-Saëns Chausson - Symphonic Works -Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Janowski.cue 234016eadc2d99290a3dd6116fdee00a *Indy Saint-Saëns Chausson - Symphonic Works -Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Janowski.flac