Search - Chicago Symphony Orchestra :: Jean Martinon - The Complete Recordings with Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The renowned French conductor Jean Martinon (1910-76) succeeded the legendary Fritz Reiner at the helm of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1963. According to one critic, during his five-year tenure, "there is no question that he maintained the orchestra's exalted performances standards, if not improving upon them." In that time, he made nine critically lauded recordings for RCA Victor, now re-issued for the first time ever together in a single SONY Classical box set of 10 re-mastered CDs. The repertoire, revealing Martinon's preference for contemporary music, includes works by Roussel, Ravel, Varese, Bartók, Nielsen, Hindemith and others, alongside 19th c. masterpieces by such as Bizet, Massenet, Lalo and Mendelssohn. Also a fine composer, Martinon's Symphony No. 4, op. 53, "Altitudes" is featured on Disc 5. A worthy bonus recording in this set is pianist and composer Jean Casadesus playing his own Piano Concerto with Martinon conducting the French Nat'l Radio Orchestra from 1969. The discs are presented in their original LP facsimile artwork, with some recordings newly re-mastered from the original source tapes, and all coming from the best possible sound source. The booklet offers vintage photographs, a complete discography, plus a new essay.