CD REVIEW
– SAINT-SAENS
SYMPHONIES
(1) Symphonies 1 & 2
– Phaeton – Symphonic
Poem Op 39 NAXOS 8.573138
66’
(2) Symphony in A major –
Symphony No.3 in C minor (Organ)
Op 78
Le Rouet d’Omphale Op
31 NAXOS 8.573139 72’
Malmo
Symphony Orchestre / Marc
Soustrot with Carl Adam
Landström (Organ)
Many years ago,
back in the 1970’s, the
distinguished French conductor
Jean Martinon recorded all five
of the Saint-Saens symphonics for
EMI so this decision by Naxos to
revisit this engaging music is
timely and to be warmly welcomed.
The first and
second volumes – there is a
third to come (see below)
containing the ‘Urbs
Roma’ Symphony - range
from the early Symphony in A
major composed when
Saint-Saens was little more than
a youth of 15 and where the
influence of Schubert and
Mendelssohn are clearly in
evidence, through the first
numbered Symphony which possesses
a winsome scherzo full of Gallic
charm to the grandiose majestic
sounds of the Organ Symphony.
Technical
standards are high here with
full, vivid recording and
splendid stylish playing from the
Malmo Symphony under the French
conductor Marc Soustrot.
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.
Roger
Hyslop
(3)
Symphony in F major "Urbs
Roma" - La Jeunesse
d'Hercule Op 50 - Danse macabre
OP 40
Marika
Fältskogh (violin) / Malmo
Symphony Orchestra / Marc
Soustrot NAXOS 8.573140 67'
25"
This third release
from Naxos completes their survey
embracing all five Symphonies of
Saint Saens. "Urbs
Roma" was a prize-winning
entry to a competition organised
by the Bordeaux Sociétè Ste.
Cécile and is a substantial and
quite serious work weighing in at
some 42 minutes - his longest
piece in the symphonic mould.
Sadly it remained unpublished in
the composer's lifetime and there
have been very few commercial
recordings apart from Jean
Martinon's pioneering two EMI CD
set of the complete symphonies
recorded as far back as the 1970s
- CZS762643/2.
Two fill-ups are offered - the
substantial symphonic poem
"La Jeunesse d'Hercule"
plus one of the composer's most
popular works, the spine tingling
"Danse macabre" with
some fine violin work by Marika
Fältskogh.
An excellent conclusion to a
fascinating series and anyone who
has invested in the previous two
discs needn't hesitate.
Roger
Hyslop
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