Customer Reviews

Faure: Orchestral Works / Incidental Music

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The orchestra directed by Michel Plasson is wonderfully vibrant and clear. I have some of these pieces by other conductors but this is now my favorite. It is not too slow as some interpretations are, and does justice to Faure's melodies. The singing by Frederica von Stade and Nicolai Gedda is exceptional. This double cd collection was originally sold as separate cds by EMI. If you enjoy Faure, you will not be disapointed with this collection. As Gramophone states on the back of the cd cover, "Plasson shows himself to be a particularly sensitive interpreter of Faure." these were remastered at Abbey Road Studios.

This 2-disc collection from EMI contains virtually all of Gabriel Faure's orchestral music, which spans his career, from the famous early Ballade for piano and orchestra to his final orchestral effort, the "Masques et bergamasques" for tenor, chorus and orchestra from 1919. Some of the works are well-known - such as the incidental music for "Pelleas et Melisande", probably Faure's best-known work after the Requiem - and some of them are obscure. One obscure work that I found very attractive and worthwhile was the "Caligula" incidental music, an 1888 work with chorus that is sweet and peaceful, unexpected for a play about a murderous Roman emperor. The "Masques et bergamasques" is a mish-mash of different music -- including some that Faure wrote specifically for the play and recycled items, including an earlier song and the famous Pavane, which concludes the suite - but is attractive in a sort of turn-of-the-century mock-18th-century way. Another very pretty piece is the Berceuse for violin and orchestra, written early in Faure's career.

The performances are generally quite good, but vary, which is why I rated this set with 4 stars. For example, the early choral piece "Les Djinns" receives a very sensitive and at the same time precise rendition. I also liked the effective performance of the Berceuse, mentioned above, with Paul Tortelier playing the solo violin, and think Plasson puts together a spirited and polished "Masques et bergamasques." At the same time, some of the performances aren't quite top notch, although they are consistently professional and always satisfactory. The incidental music to "Pelleas et Melisande" doesn't have the refinement and precise ensemble that I have heard in other recordings. The wonderful, moody and rich Fantasy for piano and orchestra features Jean-Philippe Collard on the solo piano and this performance, while decent, is a bit rushed and doesn't have the expansive pacing I prefer for the composition (note that I found the performance of the Ballade for piano and orchestra better).

Sonics are thin but not edgy. This is a good set of Faure's orchestral music. While it isn't perfect, it is generally well-done and very enjoyable.