Naxos
Saint-Saens: Piano Concertos / Descharmes, Soustrot, Malmo Symphony
$19.99
Details
- Composer
- SAINT-SAENS, CAMILLE
- Artist
- Descharmes, Soustrot
- Format
- CD
- Label
- Naxos
- Released
- Mar 10, 2017
- Catalog #
- 8573476
- UPC
- 747313347674
About
Listen to the Naxos Podcast to learn more about this release
Soustrot’s Saint-Saëns symphony cycle was quite good, and this new project looks to be similarly successful. For my money, the five piano concertos remain one of the most underrated groups of major works in the entire romantic repertoire. Yes, Nos. 2 and 4 get played more often than the rest, but there isn’t a dud in the bunch. It’s really only prejudice against the French aesthetic–the formal freedom, love of color, flash, and the dance–that prevents the music from getting the recognition that it deserves. That, and perhaps the fact that the melodious ease that informs all of Saint-Saëns’ writing makes a mockery of German pretensions to ownership of instrumental music in large forms.
These performances demonstrate a thoroughly “French” sensibility. Romain Descharmes savors the music’s charm and brilliance without indulging in excessive sentimentality. The First Concerto, with its surprising wiring for horns, has a breezy freshness that completely disarming. It’s played with joyful directness and a complete lack of affectation. I enjoy fast and dazzling versions of the Second Symphony, with its whirlwind finale, but Descharmes treats the piece with almost epicurean relish, nowhere more so than in this sassy, witty account of the central scherzo. There’s no lack of virtuosity, but also time to savor the music’s many harmonic delights.
Through it all, Soustrot accompanies with total confidence, and the sonics are terrific. A disc to savor.
– ClassicsToday (David Hurwitz)
Soustrot’s Saint-Saëns symphony cycle was quite good, and this new project looks to be similarly successful. For my money, the five piano concertos remain one of the most underrated groups of major works in the entire romantic repertoire. Yes, Nos. 2 and 4 get played more often than the rest, but there isn’t a dud in the bunch. It’s really only prejudice against the French aesthetic–the formal freedom, love of color, flash, and the dance–that prevents the music from getting the recognition that it deserves. That, and perhaps the fact that the melodious ease that informs all of Saint-Saëns’ writing makes a mockery of German pretensions to ownership of instrumental music in large forms.
These performances demonstrate a thoroughly “French” sensibility. Romain Descharmes savors the music’s charm and brilliance without indulging in excessive sentimentality. The First Concerto, with its surprising wiring for horns, has a breezy freshness that completely disarming. It’s played with joyful directness and a complete lack of affectation. I enjoy fast and dazzling versions of the Second Symphony, with its whirlwind finale, but Descharmes treats the piece with almost epicurean relish, nowhere more so than in this sassy, witty account of the central scherzo. There’s no lack of virtuosity, but also time to savor the music’s many harmonic delights.
Through it all, Soustrot accompanies with total confidence, and the sonics are terrific. A disc to savor.
– ClassicsToday (David Hurwitz)
Tracklist 7 tracks
-
1 I. Andante - Allegro assai 11:56
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Andante - Allegro assai
- Duration
- 11:56
- Composer
- Camille Saint-Saëns
- Performer
- Romain Descharmes
- Ensemble
- Malmö Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marc Soustrot
-
2 II. Andante sostenuto, quasi adagio 08:02
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Andante sostenuto, quasi adagio
- Duration
- 08:02
- Composer
- Camille Saint-Saëns
- Performer
- Romain Descharmes
- Ensemble
- Malmö Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marc Soustrot
-
3 III. Allegro con fuoco 07:05
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Allegro con fuoco
- Duration
- 07:05
- Composer
- Camille Saint-Saëns
- Performer
- Romain Descharmes
- Ensemble
- Malmö Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marc Soustrot
-
4 I. Andante sostenuto 11:34
- Track
- 4
- Title
- I. Andante sostenuto
- Duration
- 11:34
- Composer
- Camille Saint-Saëns
- Performer
- Romain Descharmes
- Ensemble
- Malmö Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marc Soustrot
-
5 II. Allegro scherzando 05:58
- Track
- 5
- Title
- II. Allegro scherzando
- Duration
- 05:58
- Composer
- Camille Saint-Saëns
- Performer
- Romain Descharmes
- Ensemble
- Malmö Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marc Soustrot
-
6 III. Presto 07:02
- Track
- 6
- Title
- III. Presto
- Duration
- 07:02
- Composer
- Camille Saint-Saëns
- Performer
- Romain Descharmes
- Ensemble
- Malmö Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marc Soustrot
-
7 Allegro appassionato in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 70 (version for piano and orchestra) 06:45
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Allegro appassionato in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 70 (version for piano and orchestra)
- Duration
- 06:45
- Composer
- Camille Saint-Saëns
- Performer
- Romain Descharmes
- Ensemble
- Malmö Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marc Soustrot