Ernest Ansermet, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Ansermet And The Ballets Russes (CD DOUBLE SLIMLINE CASE)

Ernest Ansermet, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Ansermet And The Ballets Russes (CD DOUBLE SLIMLINE CASE)

A new compilation of classic Decca stereo recordings, illuminating the idiomatic sympathy of the Swiss conductor Ernest Ansermetfor ballet music and specifically the scores commissioned by Serge Diaghilev for the Ballets russes.

The Eloquence label has undertaken a thorough-going re-examination of the recorded legacy of Ernest Ansermet, including reissues of repertoire with which he is no longer associated such as symphonies by Schumann (4800078), Sibelius (48000044) and Prokofiev (4800834). His Beethoven (4800391) has always been admired for its thrilling energy and sure sense of direction; nevertheless, it was on the music of French, and French-accented Russian composers, that his reputation was most securely founded. A 4CD set has already catalogued his first recordings of important works by Stravinsky (4803775) along with his mono recordings of Debussy (4800127) and Ravel (4428321).

Now for the first time his later stereo recordings of Diaghilev ballets are brought together on a generously filled 2CD set including the Préludeà l'après-midi d'un faune, Jeux, Daphnis et Chloé, La Valse, a complete Pulcinellaand Les Noces(sung in French with a Swiss-French cast). A new booklet appreciation by François Hudryplaces into context Ansermet'sspecial understanding and inside knowledge of these scores and the Parisian milieu from which they sprang. Indeed he had vivid memories of conducting the company on a tour of the US, including 105 performances in 105 days.

In 1909, when still a young man, Ansermetwrote that 'Debussy's work seems to me the most important musical phenomenon since Wagner and the Russians... His influence is neither to be wished nor feared, it cannot be avoided.'

Together with Ravel and Stravinsky, Debussy was the composer Ansermetconducted most, and he took their music all over the world. La valsein particular became a calling-card: In 1921, after listening to Ansermetconduct the work, Ravel immediately wrote to him: 'You understand La valseperfectly. I have never been able to obtain such rhythmic suppleness in Paris.'

Tracklistings:

CD 1

MAURICE RAVEL

1–12Daphnis et Chloé(complete

ballet)

CLAUDE DEBUSSY

13Préludeà l'après-midi d'un

faune

14Jeux(Poèmedansé)

CD 2

IGOR STRAVINSKY

1–18 Pulcinella

Marilyn Tyler, soprano · Carlo

Franzini, tenor · Boris Carmeli,

bass

19–22 Les Noces

MAURICE RAVEL

22 La Valse

Les Chœursde la Radio Suisse Romande(Daphnis et Chloé)

L'Orchestrede la Suisse Romande

Ernest Ansermet