In 1872, when he composed his Cello Concerto No. 1, Camille Saint-Saëns was 37. Although he had already enjoyed a few successes, at that time he was far from being the established and well-respected figure in French music that he later would become. Nearly three decades went by before Saint-Saëns composed his Cello Concerto No. […]

Ballet music was very much part of the great operas, sometimes inserted later for a bit of relief from the drama. Together with popular overtures – Rossini’s ‘Thieving Magpie’, Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ – this is a collection of some of those best-loved instrumental moments, some of which have even eclipsed the whole opera in popularity.

Saint-Saëns’s complete piano concertos on a 2CD Eloquence set presents some truly rare recordings – Campanella’s of the Fourth and Tagliaferro’s of the Fifth. And while the second is oft-played, this set gives the listener an opportunity to discover the lesser known First and Third. Also included is the first release on CD of ‘Wedding […]

Following a stream of requests – not least from the conductor himself! – we’ve releasing for the first time on CD internationally, Richard Bonynge’s first (1967/analogue) recording of ‘Giselle’. The enchanting score has even more spontaneity and bounce than Bonynge’s later digital remake for Decca.