CD REVIEW – SAINT-SAËNS
Dances and Ballet Music
Residentie Orkest The Hague / Jun Märkl
Naxos 8.574463 [78:24]

Born in 1835, Camille Saint-Saëns was an immensely gifted child, blessed with perfect pitch, who made his concert debut at the age of ten and studied at the Paris Conservatoire, becoming known as a keyboard player of distinction – before gaining world fame as a composer. He was organist at the La Madelaine church in the capital for nearly 20 years. He came to England in 1871 and was given a musical doctorate by Cambridge University after two years and by Oxford 20 years later. He wrote elegant operas, symphonies, symphonic poems, concertos, songs and chamber music in quantity. He died in Paris, aged 86.

This release is as immediately attractive as was an earlier album of the ballet music for his grand opera 'Ascanio', enthusiastically reviewed here in 2020, but although the new disc is well-filled, unfortunately in line with all Naxos CDs old and new, is no longer at a budget price.

The music comprises five selections (23 tracks) of incidental music and music from his operas: 'Étienne Marcel' – Act III: Ballet, 'Henry VIII', Airs de ballet de 'Parysatis', marked by the use of crotales (antique finger-cymbals), and 'Samson et Dalila' – the only one of his operas to remain in the repertory – finishing with the famous Bacchanale.

As on the earlier disc, wielding the baton again is the highly respected Jun Märkl (born 1959 in Germany), this time with the Residentie Orkest The Hague, of which he is the principal guest conductor. He studied with, among others, Leonard Bernstein, and has built up a discography of over 50 albums. One of these recently caused him to be nominated for the Echo Klassic award in the category: best conductor. He is currently holding positions both with the Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan as Music Director.

The splendid sounding recording was made at the Concertzaal, Amare, The Hague, Netherlands as recently as the end of March and beginning of April this year. In common with most Naxos albums, some readers may find Dominic Wells' very useful booklet notes difficult to read without magnification.

Märkl has said: "To listen to Saint-Saëns is always a pleasure" and I, too, never fail to enjoy his music and can only repeat what the late Roger Hyslop wrote when reviewing his symphonies here some years ago: that none of the music, full of charm and attractive melodic ideas make any great demands on the little grey cells, and can be unreservedly recommended.

© Peter Burt 2022