Dreamy, wistful music with surrealistic atmosphere
Leslie Richford | Selsingen, Lower Saxony | 09/12/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Unlike the Spanish and Italian Festivals in the same series, Naxos' French Festival presents music by indigenous composers (unless one counts Jacques Offenbach as a German). Chabrier's 'Joyeuse marche' with which the disc begins is an almost over-lively piece with some brash brass and provides a stark contrast to the mostly tender, wistful and gentle music which is to follow. Ravel, Fauré, Godard and Débussy all contribute short pieces, some of them extracted from other works, which create a dreamy, almost surrealistic atmosphere that may not be typical of France, but is perhaps typical of French music at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. A special treat is given with Erik Satie's Gymnopédies I and II which are here done very well and deserve praise: Satie was something of an odd-ball, but this music can make one curious to know more. The one-hour long programme closes with another faster piece, Saint-Saens' 'Danse macabre', a witty dance of death with clanking skeletons and a spooky violin. All in all, I would say that you have to be in the right mood to enjoy this music, but that it is comparatively well performed and therefore excellent value for money."
A Heart-String Puller
Leslie Richford | 07/06/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a fabulous little collection of music--some of the prettiest and sweetest from the greatest of the French musicians. The "odd man out" is the first track (a little too stirring) and maybe the last, but the rest of the CD is a sweet dream, believe me!"
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
