Chabrier: Piano Music

On this CD:

1. Bourrée fantasque, for piano (also for orchestra)
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Allan Schiller

2. Pièces posthumes (5), for piano
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Allan Schiller

3. Suite de valses, for piano
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Allan Schiller

4. Pièces pittoresques (10), for piano
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by Allan Schiller

Album Description

Music can be both calming and relaxing, or invigorating and passionate...this phenomenal 20-CD set is definitely the latter. This amazing collection brings together for the first time the most passionate music of all time, from Ravel's Bolero, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Wagner's Magic Fire Music to Ravel's La Valse, Orff 's Carmina Burana and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This is a must have collection for every passionate music lover.

Customer Reviews:

A good gift for novice.......2007-05-12

This was a good gift for somebody learning about Classical music in Japan.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding performance
tour de force
Ravel Piano Works- Pascal Roge
Beautiful Works, Excellent Performance

Ravel: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Debussy: Piano Works
Satie: Piano Works
After the Rain...The Soft Sounds of Erik Satie
Liszt: Favourite Piano Works
Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales

ASIN: B00000422W
Release Date: 1994-11-15

Tracks:

Gaspard de la nuit: I Ondine
Gaspard de la nuit: II Le Gibet
Gaspard de la nuit: III Scarbo
Valses nobles et sentimentales: I Modere, tres franc
Valses nobles et sentimentales: II Assez lent, avec une expression intense
Valses nobles et sentimentales: III Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: IV Assez anime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: V Presque lent, dans un sentiment intime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VI Vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VII Moins vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VIII Epilogue, lent
Jeux d'eau
Miroirs: I Noctuelles
Miroirs: II Oiseaux tristes
Miroirs: III Une barque sur l'ocean
Miroirs: IV Alborada del gracioso
Miroirs: V La Vallee des cloches

Tracks:

Sonatine: I Modere
Sonatine: II Mouvement de menuet
Sonatine: III Anime
Le tombeau de Couperin: I Prelude
Le tombeau de Couperin: II Fugue
Le tombeau de Couperin: III Forlane
Le tombeau de Couperin: IV Rigaudon
Le tombeau de Couperin: V Menuet
Le tombeau de Couperin: VI Toccata
Prelude
Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn
A la maniere de Borodine
Menuet antique
Pavane pour une infante defunte
A la maniere de Chabrier
Ma Mere L'Oye: Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant
Ma Mere L'Oye: Petit Poucet
Ma Mere L'Oye: Laideronnette, imperatrice des pagodes
Ma Mere L'Oye: Entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete
Ma Mere L'Oye: Le Jardin feerique

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding performance.......2005-11-29

I have to concur with Del Dotto's opinion in the yr 2000, this is as close to definitive as possible.
But why stop at just 1 excellent recording, also consider Jean Efflam Bavouzet on the MDG label. As well another definitive recording (yes its possible to have more than just one definitive) is Alexandre Tharaud's recent recording on Harmondo Mundi.

Pascal Rouge, a true master in Ravel, a very rare talent in the recording industry.

tour de force.......2005-04-20

Pascal Roges recordings of Ravels great piano works serves as a honest mark of the music that never was, but perhaps might have been. Gently capturing the sheltered aura of pre-novelite Chopin, whilst endowing the music with the acousto-eco-hyperbolies of Keats, this recording is not to be missed. one can almost sense the tragic embrace that beheld Toffy and Dolly in that one moment, that one eternal moment. Ah. I shall never forget it. Ravels piano works are, in all senses, composures of 20th century modernity, suffused with the country-stylised effects of, say, Emmylou Harris, and the impecably marked greenhouse-jubilance connecting all the pieces in one final exotic anti-frenzy makes certain implications on ones ability to hate. I dont hate this cd, for example. the best pieces are Jeux d'eau, what a hit! and Le Tombeau de Couperin. Buy this cd and you will/wont be very very happy.

Ravel Piano Works- Pascal Roge.......2002-08-30

Having searched for ages for a definitive recording of the Impressionistic Masterpiece "Gaspard de la Nuit", I found it in this CD. Roge plays the technical inferno of Ondine and Scarbo with flawless taste and passion. This recording would rival that of Martha Argerich's famous recording of Gaspard that has long been thought to be the best. The Tombeau and Sonatine are also very nicely done. Sometimes however, with the smaller lesser known pieces such as the Minuet, you get the sense that he is sightreading, not truely feeling the music. Nevertheless this is a must have.

Beautiful Works, Excellent Performance.......2002-08-27

Together with the 2CD set of Debussy's piano works, these two albums are master recordings of the finest impressionist piano music. Pascal Roge has an astonishing control of the sound of the piano, and can bring out a beautiful palette of various tone colours and moods, orchestrating the piano and creating a dreamworld of sensations. Listen to the wonderful suite Gaspard de la Nuit, the marvellous sonatine (especially the second movement), and of course the mirroirs... This album is a must!

Average customer rating:

Solid Basic March Collection
Bold and brassy mixes well with the rest
40 Famous Marches - a great collection!!
Classics on Parade
Too, too much Philip Jones Ensemble

40 Famous Marches

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Stars & Stripes Forever and the Greatest Marches
Sousa's Greatest Hits
Regimental Marches of British Army, Vol. 1
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ASIN: B000040OX5
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1 In D Major - London PO; Solti, G.
Karelia Suite: Alla marcia - Philharmonia Orchestra
Jubel March - Vienna PO; Boskovsky, W.
Funeral March Of A Marionette - Orchestra Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Tannhauser: Grand March - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble; Howarth, E.
Rinaldo: March - English Chamber Orchestra
Saul: Dead March - English CO; Bonynge, R.
Aida: Grand March - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Radetzky March - Vienna PO; Boskovsky, W.
Marche militaire - Wiener Philharmoniker
Athalia: War March Of The Priests - Vienna PO; Dohnanyi, C.v.
The Nutcracker: March - National Philharmonic Orchestra
The Love For Three Oranges: March - London PO; Weller, W.
Le Prophete: Coronation March - London Philharmonic Orchestra
La Damnation de Faust: Hungarian March - Chicago SO; Solti, G.
Persian March - Wiener Philharmoniker
Aladdin Suite: Oriental Festive March - San Francisco SO; Blomstedt, H.
The Ruins Of Athens: Turkish March - Carlo Curley
The Occasional Oratorio: March - San Francisco SO; Blomstedt, H.
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 4 In G Major - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

Crown Imperial (Coronation March) - London PO; Norrington, R.
Music For The Funeral Of Queen Mary: Funeral March - Baroque Brass Of London
Prince of Denmark's March (Trumpet Voluntary) - London PO; Norrington, R.
March - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Marche triomphale - London PO; Norrington, R.
Egyptian March - Wiener Philharmoniker
Joyeuse March - Swiss Romande Orch; Ansermet, E.
Napoleon March - Wiener Philharmoniker
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March - Montreal SO; Dutoit, C.
Russian March - Wiener Philharmoniker
Carmen, Suite No.2: Marche des contrebandiers - Montreal SO; Dutoit, C.
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: March - London Symphony Orchestra
Mlada: Procession Of The Nobles - Kingsway Orch; Camarata, S.
Spanish March - Wiener Philharmoniker
Things To Come: March - National PO; Herrmann, B.
Washington Post - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Entry Of The Gladiators - National PO; Herrmann, B.
Colonel Bogey - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
The Dam Busters - National PO; Herrmann, B.
The Stars And Stripes Forever - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble

Customer Reviews:

Solid Basic March Collection.......2006-08-07

Great solid basic collection, a real bargain with mostly outstanding performances. Having played several in bands and orchestras and sung one (the Rimsky Mlada), I have a good idea how they should go. As other other commentators say, there are better individual recordings, such as anything by Fennell and the Eastman band. The organ pieces just don't do this music justice, although a real cathedral organ can come close, but that's beyond these discs. The Nielsen Aladdin March is the new one for me. Berlioz by Solti is great! Buy it!

Bold and brassy mixes well with the rest.......2004-08-14

I am impressed most by the variety in 40 Famous Marches on 2 CDs, a Double Decca release. The performers include Philharmonic Orchestras, a Brass Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, organ, Symphony, and for nine selections, the Wiener Philharmoniker. I am not sure if the word schmaltzy ought to be applied to any of this, but the Wiener Philharmoniker often exhibits a unique sound which is not quite the same as any of the other selections. The final five selections are all performed by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble under Elgar Howarth in ADD/DDD format in 1983 and 1985. Two of those five are rousing marches by John Philip Sousa, another called `Entry of the Gladiators' is typical of songs played by live bands at circuses, and the remaining two are from movie soundtracks. `Colonel Bogey' is famous from the movie about British prisoners of war building a railroad bridge for the Japanese in World War Two, the Bridge over the River Kwai.

The major source of variety in these 40 selections is that many of them are taken from operas and even a ballet, Tchaikovsky's famous `The Nutcracker--March.' I originally found this collection when I was searching for `Funeral March of a Marionette' by Charles Gounod (1818-1893) which has a theme that is famous from its use by a television series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. If you can't remember how that goes, you ought to buy this collection and listen for it early: it is selection 4 on the first CD. The main theme was fun to play and easy to learn in a book of piano lessons, but the rest is quite whimsical and worth listening to, and people who play organ with pedal notes might still be able to find music for playing the entire arrangement, difficult though it is for someone like me, who becomes confused when too many things are going on at the same time.

There was something on this CD that sounded weird, and I had to check to see what it was, and it was just someone playing the organ, but he was trying to play `The Ruins of Athens -- Turkish March' by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827).

Something by Handel sounds so much like the beginning of a movie that I expect someone to start singing, `The hills are alive with The Sound Of Music,' but this CD is something else. The first CD starts and ends with marches from `Pomp and Circumstance' by Edward Elgar, so people who have been to a lot of graduation ceremonies will be expecting plenty of familiar music. The 6:32 time is slightly longer than the Wagner's `Tannhauser -- Grand March' on the first CD, but long graduation ceremonies may play it even longer, until all the diplomas are handed out.

Verdi, Strauss, Schubert, Prokofiev, Berlioz, these famous composers might be recognized by people who know music, but the `Wedding March' by Felix Mendelssohn is famous with everybody for what it is used for. If you haven't heard it lately, maybe you should hear it a few times so you won't be so nervous the next time it comes around.

40 Famous Marches - a great collection!!.......2003-11-21

This is a wonderful collection. What a wide collection of exciting pieces, all in one affordable package!! It encompasses so many composers and styles, from the majesty of Elgar and Walton, to upbeat Sousa to schmaltzy Strauss. It also includes such classic marches as Meyerbeer's Coronation, a pinnacle of the French opera style, the timeless Wedding March of Mendelssohn, and the brilliant organ piece, Marche Triomphale of Sigfrid Karg-Elert. There are also some interesting oddball selections like the mysterious Things to Come of Bliss (composed for the H.G. Wells film), the jaunty Chabrier marche, and oriental flair of Nielsen's Aladdin.
In reading some of the other criticisms, it is true that the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble perhaps is not the best or most noted ensemble. However, overall, the pieces they play are either Sousa or patriotic-sounding tunes. Their only forays into the true classical realm are the Grand Marches from Tannhauser and Aida, and they are not half bad. So don't let those pieces keep you from buying the CD - 1) because most of the songs they do play are great and 2) they only play in 1/4 of the music....

Classics on Parade.......2003-05-01

If you're looking for a collection of marches from classical music, this would be a fine one to get.
It contains recordings made from 1958 to 1996 by some of the world's great orchestras, plus several numbers by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, and four arranged for organ.
The first 35 marches include many of the best-known classical marches, plus three "coronation" marches, written as far back as the end of the seventeenth century (The Prince of Denmark's March) up to 1954 (The Dam Busters). The last five pieces are "popular" marches played by the Jones Ensemble.
The liner notes give a nice history of marches, including where most of the ones in this collection fit into that scenario.
A great collection of marches by classical and popular music "masters".

Too, too much Philip Jones Ensemble.......2003-04-17

A mixed bag of music, 40 FAMOUS MARCHES compiles a good many marches - some not too common.

The CD has it's high points:
1. Chicago Symphony (under Solti!) playing Berlioz's Hungarian March (love that trombone excerpt - BAM!)
2. London Philharmonic playing Prokofiev's "The Love for Three Oranges" March
3. Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance No. 1 (also London Philharmonic)

BUT... There's some real stuff on here, too. I must concur with a prior reviewer: FAR TOO MUCH Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. Case in point - Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever, as played by PJBE is completely devoid of the energy and fire it needs. The trombone countermelody at the end is just NOT THERE (you'll strain to hear it). There's just no way this is right. PBJE is great in their setting, but this is just not it.

Tracks:

Espana
I Alborada
II Variazioni
III Alborada
IV Scena E Canto Gitano
V Fandango Asturiano
Mi Mineur
No. 1 In C Major
No. 2 In G Minor
No. 3 In A Major
No. 4 In B Flat Major
No. 5 In D Major
I Gigues
II Iberia: Par Les Rues Et Par Les Chemins
III Rondes De Printemps

Tracks:

Allegro Maestoso
Quasi Adagio - Julius Katchen
Allegretto Vivace - Julius Katchen
Allegro Marziale Animato - Julius Katchen
Piano Concerto No. 2 In A Major - Julius Katchen
Allegro Moderato - - Julius Katchen
Allego Deciso - Marziale Un Poco Meno Allegro - - Julius Katchen
Allegro Animato - Julius Katchen
Evocation
El Corpus En Sevilla
Triana
El Puerto
El Albaicin

Tracks:

I Reveries - Passions: Largo - Allegro Agitato Ed Appassionato Assai
II Un Bal: Valse: Allegro Non Troppo
III Scene Aux Champs: Adagio
IV Marche Au Supplice: Allegretto Non Troppo
V Songe D'une Nuit Du Sabbat: Larghetto - Allegro - Ronde Du Sabbat: Poco Meno Mosso
I Exaltacion
II Ensueno
III Orgia

Tracks:

Les Preludes
Faust
Gretchen
Mephistopheles

Tracks:

I Allegro Moderato
II Canzonetta: Andante
III Allegro Vivacissimo
I Andante Sostenuto - Moderato Con Anima
II Andantino In Modo Di Canzona
III Scherzo: Pizzicato Ostinato
IV Finale: Allegro Con Fuoco

Customer Reviews:

Five Stars for the Spanish Stuff.......2007-05-03

Argenta died very young, as is mentioned in the other reviews. Years ago he was mentioned - in no small part due to his tragic death - in the same league as Cantelli. Historically that's difficult to justify. The Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique was in its day a major Hi-Fi LP; today it still sounds pretty good, but the playing and Argenta's leadership is nowhere near challenging any number of currently available performances, let alone the best.
However; in Spanish music Argenta was excellent and, at times, tremendous; better than Frubeck de Burgos, who is otherwise a more well-rounded conductor. Argenta had a striking gift for conveying both the passion and the structure of his native music. Argenta recorded several works in Spain, issued on Lp, but today difficult to locate on CD. The Spanish selections on this Decca set showcase just how good he could be in music from the Iberian peninsula. Of particular note is his performance of the Debussy,- very few conductors bring such a nice balance of color and rousing energy to these pieces, especially the concluding Ronde de printemps. The recent Boulez may be more sophisticated but the fifty year old sound is quite impressive!
As for the price - at nearly 40 dollars this set is quite ridiculous. On sale, at 24.95, it seems worth considering; especially if you are a fan of Spanish orchestra music. Argenta has some stiff competition, especially Reiner and Dorati's famous performances of Iberia, and Paray, too, now that I think about it. But it seems to me he holds his own with those legendary performances. If you decide to buy this CD you will be paying a premium to hear one of the last century's premiere conductors of Spanish music. The remainder of the CD varies from good to disappointing and, here and there, borderline dross.
Buying CDs you will never play to hear excellent ones is up to you - but it seems unlikely the Spanish pieces will be issued separately - though the CD Gods have shown themselves to be fickle indeed.
As Spencer Tracy said about Kate Hepburn, 'there's not much meat on her bones, but what's there is is choice.'

A lost talent given a fine memorial.......2007-02-06

Mr. Richman has said all the necessary things about Ataulfo Argenta, who died tragically but embarrassingly when he and a music student sought to keep warm on a cold winter's night by sitting in the garage and turning on the car engine. That event in 1958 curtailed Argenta's discography, which in any case had only one classic recording, the "Espana" collection beloved by audiphiles for its vintage, spectacular analog sonics. They've come out very well in Decca's most recent remastering, and the album remains evergreen. So much for CD 1.

CD 2 begins with energetic, even brash readings of the two Liszt Pinao Concertos with Julius Katchen that are all but unlistenable because of the boomy, hollow, clattery sound given to the piano and the buzzy strings in the orchestra; God knows how Decca everr released these. Junky recordings of junky pieces. However, what follows is a delightful, idiomatic Iberia by Albeniz (orchestrated from the piano suite) that I've never heard. The Paris Conservatoire Orch. is in its element here, sounding at once exotic and dandyish. Argenta's phrasing couldn't be improved upon.

CD 3 gives us a Symphonie fantastique from the same orchestra that's French in all the wrong ways: wobbly horns, indifferent execution, and not much involvement from Argenta, either. Then Argenta returns to strength with Turina's alluring Danzas fantasticas, again with the Conservatoire forces, in a swinging, slam-bang reading.

CD 4 is devoted to Liszt's Les Preludes and Faust Symphony. EMI did Argenta no favors by trumpeting him as a Great Condcutor of the Century, hwere I first encountered this Faust Symphony with the Conservatoire orchestra sounding scrawny (but nicely spooky) and Argenta funning a decided second-best to Beecham from that era. The Suisse Romande orchestra, then in its heyday under Ernest Ansermet, play much better in Les Preludes, which gets a rousing, thoroughly enjoyable reading from Argenta.

CD 5 brings the acid test. If Argenta's name is to survive as more than a Spanish local colorist, surely he can do Tchaikovsky. Here we get the violini concerto with Campoli, a Decca star in early stereo, and the Sym. #4. Well, Campoli is soupy but incrdibly well recorded in the concerto; this is Moscow on the Tiber. The symphony brings in the Suisse Romande orchestra again, sounding a bit shrill but also tangy and not at all bland. And bless Argenta, he conducts with interest and originality, mostly on the brisk side but never succumbing to routine. I'm glad he puts his best foot forward at the end in a reading that ranks among his best.

Argenta Finally Stateside.......2007-01-27

Like many of the recent Original Masters reissues, this 5CD set of music conducted by Ataulfo Argenta has been available since last July as an import, and now has finally been released in the U.S. For those who do not know Argenta's tragic story, he died accidentally of carbon monoxide poisoning at the age of 44 in 1958. Fortunately Decca and Spanish Columbia/EMI recognized Argenta as a massive talent in the making, and we have something to remember him by musically. The majority of the music collected here as "The Complete Decca Recordings 1953-1957" has been available previously on various single titles. Ten years ago as a budding collector, I had an early infatuation with Argenta, most of which I now realize was because of how hard (and satisfying) it was to track down his rare CDs, and not primarily because of the music itself. That it is not to say there aren't some absolute masterpieces within this set. His account of Chabrier's Espana, which fittingly bats lead off, is arguably the single best performance ever made! In fact the whole of CD1, originally available as "Espana" in both the old "Classic Sound" and "Decca Legends" series, is amazing. Also his performances of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with Alfredo Campoli, and 4th Symphony (both of which I had never previously heard) are thoroughly enjoyable. However, his readings of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, Debussy's Images and Liszt's Faust Symphony and Piano Concertos (with Julius Katchen), all of which I considered early personal favorites, haven't held up as I once expected they would, now that I have been exposed to so many other great performances. Despite this my biggest problem with this set, and any reissue that collects the "Complete" recordings, lies not with the music's quality, but with the fact that almost all of this material has been previously available elsewhere, and in most cases the original discs cost me a pretty penny. But that is the risk any serious collector runs, and it will not be a troublesome issue for most -- in fact there are probably a lot of people thrilled they now don't have to pay $50 just to hear Argenta's Fantastique. In all, this is a very good set by a man who, had he lived to a ripe old age, would without a doubt have been universally considered Spain's greatest conductor.

Average customer rating:

FRIEND OF THE GREAT
A welcome revival of Chabrier's piano music

Chabrier: Piano Music
Angela Hewitt , and Emmanuel Charbrier
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Opp. 57 "Appassionata", 10/3, 7
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ASIN: B000E0W16W
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Tracks:

Impromptu [7'11]
Ronde champe [3'55]
Dix pis pittoresques - 1. Paysage Allegro non troppo, avec calme [5'49]
Dix pis pittoresques - 2. Mncolie Ben moderato (senza rigore e sempre tempo rubato) [2'39]
Dix pis pittoresques - 3. Tourbillon Allegro con fuoco [1'31]
Dix pis pittoresques - 4. Sous-bois Andantino [4'30]
Dix pis pittoresques - 5. Mauresque Moderato [3'21]
Dix pis pittoresques - 6. Idylle Allegretto (avec fraeur et naivet[3'51]
Dix pis pittoresques - 7. Danse villageoise Allegro risoluto [4'36]
Dix pis pittoresques - 8. Improvisation Andantino (fantasque et trpassionn[5'20]
Dix pis pittoresques - 9. Menuet pompeux Allegro franco [6'10]
Dix pis pittoresques - 10. Scherzo-valse Vivo [4'33]
Aubade [4'45]
Ballabile [1'33]
Caprice [2'44]
Feuillet dalbum [2'13]
Habanera [4'35]
Bourrfantasque [6'38]

Amazon.com

Those who were relatively certain that Chabrier's only claims to fame were Espana and the charming operetta L'Etoile will be pleased to learn that this composer's wit and elegance also extended to solo piano music. He wrote 26 pieces for solo piano; here, Angela Hewitt plays 18 of them, equaling an hour and 16 minutes of delightful miniatures. The ten-part "Dix pièces pittoresques" examines moods and dances: pensive melancholy, a big-footed village dance, a minuet (which is far more aggressive than what we normally know as a "minuet"), and the countryside. The final piece, Scherzo-Valse, is a genuine virtuoso showpiece. Hewitt loves the dance rhythms and treats all of the music with respect, making us realize, at times, the serious composition that went into making these pieces sound so facile. The languorous Habanera is a particularly evocative work, and Hewitt plays it with as much subtlety as she does verve in the concluding Bourée fantastique. This off-the-beaten-track recital is well worth exploring. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

FRIEND OF THE GREAT.......2006-12-30

It's pleasant to hear something by Chabrier other than Espana. His piano music has real charm and quality, besides being interesting in its historical context. He was an exact contemporary of Dvorak although predeceasing him by 10 years, and that makes him just a few years older than Faure. He was hugely impressed with Wagner, but from the retrospective of 2006 I can't find his harmony particularly advanced or radical for its time, with nothing approaching Faure's originality or subtlety. I hear it as music in a distinctively French tradition, harking back in some ways to Couperin and Rameau (as Franck noted at the time). The Ten Picturesque Pieces are given slightly elusive and teasing titles in much the way Couperin used to do, a practice carried on by Debussy and taken to satirical lengths by Satie, although Ravel was guiltless in the matter. Angela Hewitt plays them within the sequence of their publication, preceded by two other pieces and followed by another half-dozen. How closely this order reflects the works' order of composition I'm not completely clear, but I doubt it matters much. The style throughout is all much the same, and any departures from the general idiom seem to me individual one-off fancies rather than suggestive of any trend.

Angela Hewitt is an artist I am always pleased to hear in any music at all. I know her work best from Bach, but I have heard her in Chopin, I see she has recorded the complete piano works of Ravel, and now here she is in Chabrier. Insofar as I have got a coherent picture of her, she seems to me to offer a distinctively feminine perspective. Her playing is not in the least pale and maidenly, but I hear her as in the tradition of, say, Guiomar Novaes and Moura Lympany -- the playing full of fire and commitment as well as being technically superb, but not taking on the men on their own terms as Gina Bachauer, Cecile Ousset and Martha Argerich might be thought to do. Everything she does is civilised, thoughtful and sensitive, and I found the comparison of this disc with a recent set of Albeniz by her compatriot Hamelin to be fascinating. Hewitt doesn't disdain the sustaining pedal nor reserve it for special effects. It is always there as part of the general sound, although I hardly need say never overdone. Her tone is not small and she packs plenty of power when she needs it, but the roof is never in danger of being dislodged and her fortissimo is always euphonious. The quality of her fingerwork always ensures clarity, but there is always also warmth to the sound except when that is just not a possibility, as at the start of the Danse villageoise. This is an intellectual player too, as anyone will know who has read her fine commentary on the Bach 48, and her tempi, tone-contrasts and grasp of the music's idiom are a lesson in how it can all be done.

The piano is a Fazioli, and the recording was done in Italy over 3 days in 2004. The sound therefore demands to be judged by the most severe modern standards, and to me it seems perfectly satisfactory without being exactly outstanding. The liner-note is by Hewitt's own teacher Jean-Paul Sevilla with translations into English and German. The English version by Ronald Smithers strikes me as very good in general, although what on earth might a `bounding piece' (`bondissante') be? Try `sprightly'. Sevilla's text makes a bit of a meal out of the commentary on these pieces, I thought, but it is always interesting and illuminating, and I was particularly grateful for the material on the composer himself. A beautiful production altogether, music that deserves to be better known played by an artist always worth knowing better too, and the set graced by a particularly gorgeous Manet as its frontispiece. Chabrier was on friendly terms with Manet, Monet, Sisley, Cezanne and Renoir, I gather, as well as Duparc and Faure, and of course his work was admired by Franck. He is not the greatest among such company, but he is not unworthy of it either.

A welcome revival of Chabrier's piano music.......2006-03-15

After hearing the premier of Chabrier's "Pieces pittoresques," fellow-composer Cesar Franck proclaimed, "We have just heard something extraordinary! This music links our era with that of Couperin and Rameau." Indeed, Chabrier's music was quite extraordinary for its time and was a vital link in French romanticism and modernism as seen by Chabrier's influence of a generation of admiring French composers (in spite of his small output). Faure, Debussy, Poulenc, Satie and Ravel were among those bewitched by his novelty and pluck. Ravel's music often has the unmistaken stamp of Chabrier's unconventional rhythms and chromatic shifts. Some of Chabrier's works were even heralded as forerunners of modernism - such as the piece Sous-bois (track 6).

As heard in this CD, Emmanuel Chabrier [1841-1894] is one of the great originalists whose music sounds like no other. His writing often has great charm, frivolity, gaiety and innocence (Idylle, Habanera) - but also unexpected rhythmic shifts, misplaced accents and percussive, stacatto tempos (Bourree fantasque, Mauresque). Also present are Wagnerian chromaticism and Chabrierian ninth chords. While his music is unpredictable, his melodies and themes are most memorable and entirely French in their essence. Structurally, things are not so German here with themes appearing and disappearing without formal development (forshadowing Debussy). Chabrier's music has its own internal logic that takes time to appreciate perhaps. And to the classically trained pianist, his figurations can be quite awkward and fast changing, making his music a notable challenge to play.

Canadian-born pianist, Angela Hewitt seems to be developing quite an affinity for French keyboard music as she now turns her talents to yet another French composer. The main event of Hewitt's program is the delightfully different, "Dix Pieces Pittoreques" (1881) - ten Schumann-like miniatures of emmense variety of expression and pianistic techniques. Rounding out the program are many equally interesting pieces: a wonderous Impromptu, the encore showpiece Bourree Fantasque, the celebrated "Habanera" and other worthwhile "fillers." For those more familiar with Hewitt's other, "more readily accessible" recordings, her foray into the harmonically obscure, delightfully frivolous and somewhat unpredictable world of Chabrier's music will be quite a change. But, thankfully, for those new to this music, the 5-pages of insightful commentary can assist the discovery and appreciation of this most original of composers.

In the delightful miniatures, Dix Pieces Pittoresque, Angela Hewitt captures their varying moods and fleeting, evocative effects with great spunk and a mocking parlor charm that highlights their novelty. Then in the more dynamic, extraverted pieces (Scherzo-valse, Danse villageoise, Menuet pompeux and Bourree fantasque), Hewitt's rock-solid rhythms and crystaline clarity cause these piece to sparkle and strut like the Parisian nightlife that inspired them. Her Scherzo-valse finds a marvelous bouyancy and joie-de-vivre exuberance. The closing Bourree is a star of the program that Hewitt plays with a steel-sprung stacatto and dramatic flair. (The entire track can be heard on the Hyperion-Records web-site).

In the less extroverted pieces - like the Faure-like "Improvisation" (track 10) - Hewitt creates a dreamy, delicate passion not unlike that found in her equisitely textured Chopin Nocturnes. And not all of Chabrier's music is unusual and novel. In his more uncomplicated, lyrical pieces - like Habanera, Feuillet, Melancolie or Idylle - Miss Hewitt shows her usual master-of-the-tender-melody pianism that endears her to many fans. However, her more shy and innocent Idylle is not quite as irresistable as fellow-Canadian Naida Cole's version (Decca) - whose more perky legato and playful tempo gives an added measure of Chabrier's frivolous charm. (But, Hewitt is famous for playing to the strict tempo indications and thus is probably more faithful to the music).

Hewitt and the Hyperion producers selected an unusual venue for this recording: the parlor of a grand hotel - perhaps wanting to recreate the ambiance and nostalgia of a French cabaret bar like the Folies Bergere that Chabrier frequented. In this environment, the sound from her Fazioli Concert Grand is big, bright, richly colored - but in a somewhat overly spacious ambiance. Some will have prefered less acoustic reflection in the recordingm but such an acoustic has its advantages in big-boomy pieces like the "Minuet pompeux" (track 11) in which Hewitt's octave-doubling takes on a breathtaking symphonic character.

I really did not expect to like this music as much as I did, but I found it exceptionally different and emmensely appealing. If you listen to the details, there is a fascinating musical world to be discovered. Kudos to Hewitt for presenting this novel music with such pizzaz, allure and approachability. Additionally, this CD got a "Critic's Choice" nod from Gramophone and some solid reviews from ClassicToday (9/10) and BBC Music (4/5 stars), barring some slight dislike of the more spacious recording. As there are only a small number of substantial recordings of Chabrier's piano music (Alain Planes or Kathryn Stott), this Hyperion recording is a most welcome addition. Along with her complete Bach keyboard works and complete Ravel piano music, this CD is part of why Hewitt won the prestigious "2006 Gramophone Artist of Year Award." Running time - 76 minutes. Compositions - 5 stars; Performance - 5 stars; Sound quality - 4.5 stars. Here are some other press reviews that also might be helpful:

'Pianists have missed some treats by neglecting Chabrier's piano music. Angela Hewitt plays this refreshing selection with the same poetry, elegance and dancing touch that made her other French discs for Hyperion so special. The ten Pieces pittoresques take pride of place: dominated by sunshine, delightfully frisky rhythms and an early French Impressionist haze. Fed up of grey skies? Buy this disc and it's already spring' (The Times)

'If you don't know Chabrier's piano music, then this is an ideal selection of his best (and best-known) works played with exactly the right amount of tenderness, Gallic wit, verve, and - the most important ingredient of all - charm' (Classic FM Magazine)

'Angela Hewitt's freshly minted, sharply honed interpretations will inspire recitalists to dust off these unsung treasures. Her keen ear for detail always arises from the music's character and never draws attention to itself. The Schumann-esque Ronde champetre boasts remarkable rhythmic spring, while Bourree fantasque's busy contrapuntal lines resonate with the clarity of Hewitt's best Bach playing, yet without sacrificing one iota of scintillation.' (ClassicsToday)

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NC New Homers
Symphonic Spectacular

Symphonic Spectacular

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003CUY
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

Festive Overture, Op. 96
Ride Of The Valkyries
Ritual Fire Dance
Farandole
Praeludium
Espana
Marche Slav
Entry March Of The Boyars
Roumanian Rhapsody No. 1 In A Minor, Op. 11
Sabre Dance

Customer Reviews:

NC New Homers.......2006-08-20

Cincinnatti Pops Orchestra with Erich KunZel as directer was just "Spectacular" as the title of this CD says "Symphonic Spectacular". This seller Shipped as they said they would. The CD case and disk was like buying new! Very pleased with their service. I would highly recommend Them!

Symphonic Spectacular.......2006-03-01

My husband just loved the selection of songs on this CD for his birthday! What great music we now have in our home. Our three young children ask for us to play the music very often. Yes, this family is very pleased with their purchase of this CD.

Average customer rating:

Pleasant and light, but Beecham this isn't
Chabrier
Incredible horn playing
Light but enlightening French music

Chabrier: Espana/Suite Pastorale, etc.
Emmanuel Chabrier , John Eliot Gardiner , and Wiener Philharmoniker
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000001GRB
Release Date: 1996-11-19

Tracks:

Suite pastorale: I. Idylle: Andantino, poco con moto
Suite pastorale: II. Danse villageoise: Allegro risoluto
Suite pastorale: III. Sous-bois: Andantino
Suite pastorale: IV. Scherzo-valse: Allegro vivo
Habanera: Andantino
Espana: Rapsodie pour orchestre - Allegro con fuoco
Larghetto pour cor et orchestre: Tres modere - Andante molto sostenuto - Allegro moderato - Tempo primo
Ouverture de 'Gwendoline': Allegro con fuoco
Prelude pastoral: Moderato assai - dolce sostenuto
Marche Francaise (Joyeuse Marche): Tempo di marcia, molto risoluto e giocoso
Fete polonaise (Le Roi malgre lui): Allegro molto animato

Customer Reviews:

Pleasant and light, but Beecham this isn't.......2006-08-25

Chabrier's whipped-cream confections were a staple in the kit bag of Sir Thomas Beecham, and I guess DG decided somewhere along the line that Gardiner was his heir apparent. For a brief while they put the Vienna Phil., no less, at Gardiner's disposal, so there's a guarantee that the recordings would glow. The orchestra plays this mostly unfamiliar music with lovely tone and finesse. The missing ingredient is Beecham's infectious good humor and panache. Nothing goes wrong, but your spirits don't soar, either.

I think the chief value of this CD is to gather so many little gems from Chabrioer's output. You're unlikely to hear any but Espana and the Marche joyeuse on pops concerts, but here they are gleaming bright.

Chabrier.......2005-11-03

For me, listening to Emmanuel Chabrier is pure bliss. His music drips with great melodies and textures, and while not an overt "folk song" composer, his music often captures that essence.

The Suite Pastorale is just that, musical pastoral scenes; from the lilting idyll, to the village dance, the pastoral lullaby, and finally the finishing waltz. So lushly orchestrated, it is like being ensconced in a dream, a mixture of romanticism and impressionism. Along with great flowing melodies, Chabrier has a sense of humor and the playful dances show that quality quite well. A trip to Spain seems to have influenced the compositions Habanera and the famous Espana. These have a definite spanish dance feel with witty orchestral interjections; great fun featuring all the instruments/sections of the orchestra. The larghetto is a sappy character piece for horn and orchestra. This is the one work on the CD (in my own opinion) that doesn't work. Gardiner goes way too fast and pushes and pulls the music way too much (much more than is notated). Too bad really, because it is a lovely work.

The Gwendoline overture is a grandiose work, achetypal to the Romantic Period. The opera it comes from is set on the coast of England in the 8th Century; it is a bit heavy-handed and in your face, perfect for a heroic tale, featuring brass more than Chabrier usually does. In opposition to the overture is the pastoral prelude. Much in the style of the pastoral suite, it is very much a beautiful country idyll, featuring quaint strains from the strings and woodwinds. The disk closes with two outgoing and buoyant works, the Marche Francaise and the Fete Polonaise. The former starts a little off kilter but moves into a rollicking horn melody, showing Chabrier's ability to put extroverted and introverted side by side. The Fete Polonaise is a waltz which enjoys displacing the beat. Gardiner's interpretation is interesting, giving less of the "fete" and more of the "polonaise", again playing with the tempos a little.

A full Chabrier CD is nice to find. Although much of this music could be considered light music (none of the works go much beyond ten minutes), all are quite engaging. There is a lot of attention to musical detail on this disk apparent from the very beginning. A nice balance is elicited from the Vienna Philharmonic, with great details shining through (the harp for example). A few holes exist from the Gardiner interpretation, but overall, the disk is a success.

Incredible horn playing.......2002-01-26

I can't say enough about Chabrier's larghetto for horn and orchestra- it is one of the most thoroughly enjoyable pieces of music in existence. don't be expecting a bunch of fast scales and arpeggios and malarkey, the solo line isn't technically showy at all; but nonetheless this is one of the most evocative and emotionally moving pieces ever written for french horn. listen instead to the purity of Janezic's tone- it is really really incredible, and if you have older speakers the first few bars of unaccompanied horn might even make your mid-range cones clip because the notes are so wondefully resonant.

also, a note on the special horns used by the Vienna philharmonic- they are equipped a special type of valve (actually called a "Vienna valve") that is much more acoustically efficient than a standard rotary valve, but these valves are also much more cumbersome to use. this valve design is what gives a Vienna Philharmonic horn its rich vocal quality and variability of character. this exceptional tone in the hands of a player as talented as Janezic gives a result, leaving no hint of the valve's cumbersome nature, that must be heard to be believed- even the pedal tones sound effortless. if you buy this cd, which i highly recommend that you do, you can see a photo of Janezic with his odd-looking horn on the last page of the booklet.

Light but enlightening French music.......2001-06-10

Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894) is a very fine composer of the nineteenth century. He was born in Ambert, France, a city better-known for its cheeses, among others the Fourme d'Ambert, and its unique round city-hall.

He composed many pieces for the good society of that century. So it is light, entertaining, at times slightly country-minded. Some of the pieces on this record are universally known, such as España, though nearly no one knows the composer. The main point of this recording shows an essential element about France. This French composer is directed by an English Director, played by an Austrian orchestra and recorded under a German label. France looks down upon her own artistic production. It is a drama for France today. Our composers, playwrights and artists are better known in foreign countries than in France herself.

You will like this light and very expressive music. And you will enjoy this music as a music that is practically never performed in France. Shame on this country that should invest heavily in her heritage and that rejects it massively. Luckily, the English, the Austrians, the Germans and the Americans are saving France's heritage and arts. Enter this delicate world of music and you will be mesmerized by its subtlety and its joyfulness.

Tracks:

Ride Of The Valkyries
Pictures At An Exhibition - Promenade
Aida - Triumphal March
The Nutcracker - March
Pomp And Circumstance
Symphonie Fantastique - March To The Scaffold
A Midsummer Night's Dream - Wedding March
Symphony No. 9, Choral - Alta Marcia
March Militaire No. 1
Entry Of The Gladiators
Love For Three Oranges - March
March Joyeuse
Symphony No. 1, Titan - Funeral March
Radetsky March
National Emblem March
The Washington Post

Tracks:

Coronation March
The Ruins Of Athens - Turkish March
Les Troyes - Marche Troyenne
Marche Slav
Swan Lake - Wedding March
Symphony No 3, Eroica - Funeral March
Babes in Toyland - March
West Side Story - America
The Carnival Of The Animals - Introduction And Royal March Of The Lion
Carmen - March Of The Toreadors
Carmen - March of the Smugglers
Colonel Bogey March
American Salute
Semper Fidelis
El Capitan
Seventy-Six Trombones
Americans We
Lassus Trombone
The Stars And Stripes

Customer Reviews:

Marches - CD 1.......2006-03-12

Fabulous pieces. It all started with hearing Pomp and Circumstance by Elgar ont he radio...

Average customer rating:

Another Example of Fiedler's Magic and Musicianship

Hi-Fi Fiedler [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0009U55R4
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Customer Reviews:

Another Example of Fiedler's Magic and Musicianship.......2005-10-15

The woman who lives next to the house where I grew up has a scratched copy of the LP version of HI-FI FIEDLER. I know this because she lent it to me if I promised to be very careful. I was just developing an interest in classical music and she thought I would enjoy it. She was correct. I listened to it over and over again. I put it on my father's stereo, something I could only do when my parents were not home, took out a magic wand or some similar stick from my sister's toy chest, became Arthur Fielder and conducted the legendary Boston Pops Orchestra as the music emanated from the speakers. I thought I was alone in the house because I'd never want anyone to see this spectacle, but my younger brother was lurking behind me as I finished "conducting" the march from "Le Coq d'Or." I guess I decided the orchestra needed some extra practice and picked up the needle to play the march again. My brother startled me and the end result, I scratched the record and the needle kept getting stuck at the end of the march. When I returned the recording and asked my neighbor if she knew it had a small scratch, she nicely told me it did not and from that point on, anytime I listened to recordings from her collection, I listened to them at her house and she controlled the phonograph.

Obviously I purchased this recording for nostalgic reasons, but each time I listen to it, I gain a new appreciation for Fiedler. As a Bostonian, I always acknowledged him as a revered cultural icon, but he took music seriously, and his recordings offered listeners a taste of the variety of great music available. One could argue that larger symphony orchestras under the direction of conductors such as Solti and Karajan offer fuller sounding renditions of these works, but listeners can detect Fiedler's love and his belief in the importance of these works in his interpretations. I think that it can be argued that Fiedler's conducting of Tchaikovsky's "March Slave" is one of the best versions of this work available (he loved Tchaikovsky's music), his vigorous interpretation of the overture to "William Tell" is exciting, and he's largely responsible for the popularity of both Charbrier's "Espana" and the music from "Le Coq d'Or." Perhaps this is why this recording, as well as so many other Fiedler recordings, have been reissued and seem to stand the test of time. I listen to it to bring up memories, but I also share it with young people to introduce them to classical music.

Enjoy!

Chabrier: España, rhapsody; Bourrée fantasque

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Orchestral Music of Emmanuel Chabrier
Paul Paray/Detroit To The Finish Line.......
Chabrier Idealized!
Bon vivant is heads above
Almost as good as Ansermet's performances

Chabrier: España, rhapsody; Bourrée fantasque

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000057LE
Release Date: 1991-11-08

Tracks:

Espana
Suite Pastorale: 1: Idylle
Suite Pastorale: 2: Danse villageoise
Suite Pastorale: 3: Sois bois
Suite Pastorale: 4: Scherzo - valse
Le Roi malgre lui: Fete Polonaise
Overture to Gwendoline
Le Roi malgre lui: Danse Slave
Joyeuse Marche
BourrFantasque
Suite In F, Op. 33: 1: Prelude
Suite In F, Op. 33: 2: Sarabande
Suite In F, Op. 33: 3: Gigue

Customer Reviews:

Orchestral Music of Emmanuel Chabrier.......2006-01-30

I have an lp with some of this music and hoped to replace it with a cd. It's taken many years for the cd to be released but it was worth the wait. Paray produced clean, rhythmically alive performances with his virtuoso orchestra. The sound quality is wonderful considering its age. The music is not profound but it is exceedingly entertaining. Better performances of this music may exist but I'd be surprised.

Paul Paray/Detroit To The Finish Line..............2005-09-29

If Paul Paray was a race horse, I'd place my bet on him each time to win...and indeed I would. This former conductor of the Detroit Symphony has the "Midas Touch", for everything he touches turns to gold. This CD of Chabrier and Rousse