Search - Albert Roussel, Georges Prêtre, Pierre Dervaux :: Roussel: Symphonies 2, 3 & 4

A great Roussel anthology

Sam | 10/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The only Roussel anthology currently available (there used to be one on Erato/Warner before), this unexpensive 2 CD set gathers all of this composer's main orchestral works.



It reproduces the content of a CD previously released (and then deleted) by EMI on their L'Esprit Francais series - the complete Bacchus et Ariane and the Festin de L'Araignee suite by Pretre. Whereas Pretre's impressionist touch is marvellous in the Spider's Feast, his Bacchus (an altogether much different ballet) lacks the necessary rhythmic contrasts, and sounds pointless in that he conducts it as absolute music without taking the plot of the ballet into account. The sound lacks focus too. Bacchus proves the one disappointment in this otherwise excellent set - but then EMI had no alternative recording on their catalogue. You should turn to Tortelier on Chandos and most of all Martinon on Erato/Warner (if you manage to find it!) for a better rendition of the complete ballet.



But everything else is absolutely first class. Though lesser known than Munch's, Cluytens' recordings are committed, red-blooded performances - more rhythmically reliable than those of the Alsatian conductor, who was Roussel's pupil and considered the main ambassador of his music. The Sinfonietta had already been issued on EMI's former 2-CD Artist Series in the 1990s, and then on Testament, whereas this is the first appearance of symphonies no. 3 and 4 on CD on EMI (Testament had already released them with the Sinfonietta). These recordings sound their age, but this is overall a minor drawback.



The real surprise is the reissue of a recording of symphony no. 2 that had totally fallen into oblivion - the one of Pierre Dervaux, another underrated Belgian conductor. This performance is so intense and haunting in its despair that it clearly supersedes other recordings, even the one by Martinon, here much less inspired than in Roussel's ballets.



So if you are looking for a comprehensive collection of Roussel's orchestral music, look no further. It will only disappoint those looking for modern digital sound..."

Excellent performances and recording

J. A. Bradley | Omaha NE USA | 04/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I purchased this set yesterday having previously only been exposed to Roussel by a rather poor cassette from about twenty years ago of the 3rd symphony. I was totally unfamiliar with the other pieces in this set, but now I am a fan of them all. Wonderful music very well performed, at an amazing price, considering the quality."