At the time of its release – 1960 – Ansermet’s stereo recording of the Mussorgsky-Ravel ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ was demonstration worthy, and it still, today, retains its sense of space and impact. Much of the remainder of the program makes its first international appearance on CD, and the ‘Dance of the Persian Slaves’ (from […]
Liszt’s Eine Faust-Symphonie, based on the Faust legend, is an hour-long work for tenor, choir and orchestra, based on the Faust legend. The Suisse Romande Orchestra take to this complex score, one with which they could hardly have been familiar, with clear enthusiasm and imbue the performance with alertness and vivacity. The woodwind playing of […]
Fascinated by children, Ravel composed two one-act operas, ‘L’enfant et les sortileges’ and ‘L’Heure espagnole’. These priceless Ansermet recordings now return to the catalogue, coupled with the rare and much-requested disc of Ravel vocal works with Danco and Ansermet. As a coupling we have the Paris Conservatoire recordings of Bolero (the stereo version making its […]
Glazunov’s wonderfully atmospheric ‘The Seasons’ ballet, joins other Russian compositions by Liadov and Glinka as well as the colourful orchestral arrangement by Glazunov and others of Schumann’s ‘Carnaval’, in stunning recordings by Ernest Ansermet as part of the Decca Ansermet Legacy on Eloquence. In addition to the Glazunov and Glazunov-by-arrangement Ansermet recordings, this generous 2CD set […]
‘The veteran Swiss conductor was a fine Brahms conductor’ wrote Gramophone magazine and as these recordings prove, he was indeed. The majority of these recordings make their first international debut on CD, following repeated requests by Ansermet fans around the world. Classically poised, yet Romantically generous in their spirit, they make a welcome appearance on […]
Borodin’s second and third symphonies plus the Overture and Polovstian Dances from Prince Igor and ‘In the Steppes of Central Asia’ collected on a single CD. This is all of Ernest Ansermet’s Borodin recordings for Decca; recordings widely praised for their dynamism and thrust.
A rare foray for Ansermet into the Baroque era. Henri Helaerts and Roger Reversy were principal winds with the Suisse Romande and their solo work appears in many an orchestral work in his recordings. For this collection of Baroque concertos, Helaerts is soloist in two Vivaldi Bassoon Concertos recorded 16 years apart – in 1952 […]
Bach’s music featured early in Ansermet’s career and he conducted the fourth Orchestral Suite in his last concert. Playing Bach in the 1960s was not quite the affair it is today but it would be false to assume that Ansermet’s Bach is the bloated, romanticised affair that was current in the 1960s. While his readings […]
Other than the Symphonies and the Violin Concerto, these works represent some of Sibelius’ most popular orchestral pieces – and some of their finest performances. The ‘Finlandia’ is truly epic and searing, the ‘Valse triste’ ethereal, and the ‘Four Legends’ (which includes the famous ‘Swan of Tunonela’) in turn ethereal and commanding.
The first CD release of these priceless recordings from the Decca archives. Kertész brings his blend of thrust and tenderness (and huge architectural conviction) to the Fifth Symphony while John Ogdon and Neville Marriner perform the First Piano Concerto ‘to the manner born’ with not a single high-jink glossed over. Raymond Tuttle provides the fascinating […]
Aromatherapy, the quiet moments of classical music. And the fifth volume, The Heart of Tchaikovsky, showcases classical music’s ultimate Romantic, his music often a reflection of his passionate, sometimes torrid life. From the love theme of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, to music from his ballet, ‘The Nutcracker’ and the core of his First String Quartet (Andante cantabile), […]
From Roussel’s delightful tribute to the animal kingdom in ‘Le festin de l’araignée’ via two of Dukas’ symphonic masterpieces (‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ in state-of-the-art sound) to Chausson’s powerful and massive Symphony in B flat, this generous anthology in the ‘Decca Ansermet Legacy’ features the conductor in music he knew intimately and performed inimitably.
