Delibes: Coppélia; Massenet: Le Carillon [Import]

Leo Delibes (Composer), Jules Massenet (Composer), Richard Bonynge (Conductor), L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Orchestra), National Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, National Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Richard Bonynge
• Composer: Leo Delibes, Jules Massenet
• Audio CD (August 14, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Decca Import
• ASIN: B0000041KE
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,024 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Coppelia Act I: No.1 Prld Et Mazurka - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

2. Coppelia Act I: No.1 Valse Lente - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

3. Coppelia Act I: No.2 Scene - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

4. Coppelia Act I: No.3 Mazurka - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

5. Coppelia Act I: No.4 Scene - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

6. Coppelia Act I: No.5 Ballad Of The Ear-Of-Corn - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

7. Coppelia Act I: No.6 Theme Slave Varie - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

8. Coppelia Act I: No.7 Hungarian Dance/Sortie - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

9. Coppelia Act I: No.8 Finale - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

10. Coppelia Act I: No.8 Entr'Acte Et Valse - L'Orch De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Coppelia Act III: No.19 Marche De La Cloche/No.20 Divertissement-The Bell - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

2. Coppelia Act III: No.20 Divertissement-The Bell-Waltz Of The Hour - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

3. Coppelia Act III: No.20 Divertissement-The Bell-Dawn - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

4. Coppelia Act III: No.20 Divertissement-The Bell-The Prayer - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

5. Coppelia Act III: No.20 Divertissement-The Bell-Work-The Spinning Girl - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

6. Coppelia Act III: No.20 Divertissement-The Bell-Hymen-Village Wedding - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

7. Coppelia Act III: No.20 Divertissement-The Bell-Discord And War - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

8. Coppelia Act III: No.20 Divertissement-The Bell-Peace - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

9. Coppelia Act III: No.20 Divertissement-The Bell-Danse De Fete - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

10. Coppelia Act III: No.20 Divertissement-The Bell-Galop Final - Nat Phil Orch/Richard Bonynge

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and colorful, December 6, 2007

By 

Tanis "Tanis Yvonne Somerville" (Seahurst, Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Delibes: Coppélia; Massenet: Le Carillon (Audio CD)

Le Carillon was written in the same year as Werther. The villains of the story who try to destroy the bells of the title are punished by being miraculously transformed into bronze jaquemarts, fated to continue striking them for ever. The music of this one-Act ballet makes a delightful offering-not always as lightweight as one would expect. With his keen rhythmic sense and feeling for color, Bonynge is outstanding in this repertory, and the 1984 Decca recording is brilliant and colorful. A fine bonus (37 minutes) for a desirable version of Delibes' Coppelia, at the cheapest possible price.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding performance of a great ballet, December 29, 2007

By 

D. R. Schryer (Poquoson, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Delibes: Coppélia; Massenet: Le Carillon (Audio CD)

Coppelia is a lively and very tuneful ballet which is given a fine performance by master ballet conductor Richard Bonynge on this two CD set. Massenet's short ballet Le Carillon is a delightful filler. Please do yourself a favor and get this outstanding set while it is still available.

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, February 2, 2012

By 

G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Delibes: Coppélia; Massenet: Le Carillon (Audio CD)

As opposed to most ballet scores from the romantic era Coppelia is so crammed with good ideas and infectious tunes that it is indeed worth having complete as a pure listening experience - perhaps listening to it straight through is a little too much (unless it is treated as background music for some other activity - to which it is eminently suitable), but even people who don't count themselves as ballet enthusiasts ought to have the whole thing. And no one does music like this better than Richard Bonynge. Under his direction the Suisse Romande Orchestra provides performances full of glitter, sparkle and color; the music is stylishly shaped, rhythmically alive, lively and fresh, and the recorded sound is full and rich. If I were to look with a flashlight for weak links I suppose that some numbers may be a little too over-sugared and lacking in the necessary dramatic punch, but such moments are rare and far between (and even those numbers come across as thoroughly endearing).

As a coupling we get a wonderful performance of Massenet's Le Carillon, a masterly, melodic and atmospheric score written when Massenet was at the height of his powers (it was premiered just five days after Werther). Despite my favorable view of Coppelia I would actually suggest - and this may be something as a heresy - that Le Carillon is even more rewarding. Massenet's score might lack Coppelia's richness of hummable tunes, but Massenet was the superior composer, and his gorgeous orchestral textures and ability to create colors, light and shade and, not the least, stirring atmospheres as well as the lilting grace and elegance of the score make up for that many times over. The performances are again superb, and regardless of how you would compare the two works this set is enthusiastically recommended.