First volume in a major reissue series collecting all of Maurice Andre’s Erato recordings.

‘It is no exaggeration to say that during the last half-century Maurice André (b.1933) has had no competition as a trumpet soloist. His greatest legacy lies in the Erato catalogue: a prolific series of recordings that covers the majority of established instrumental composers of the Baroque and early Classical periods, with a plethora of Continental and British orchestras and several of the world’s leading organists (most notably, Marie-Claire Alain). André also studiously assembled a collection of dazzling twentieth-century works, both extant and commissioned. The reappearance of these recordings in such comprehensive formats — several works appear in different performances, while the majority appear on CD for the first time — reminds us how this supreme instrumentalist, perhaps unwittingly, lured an unsuspecting public to admire a solo trumpet as they would any other concerto instrument. Erato billed Maurice André as “Le Grand Trompettiste de Notre Temps”, not just because he could play better than any of his contemporaries but because of his influence; he gave the public music that was largely unknown and yet sounded somehow familiar, resonating so essentially in the most fertile and recognisable traditions of the instrument, namely the opulent and lyrical world of the mature.’ (Taken from the booklet essay by Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, trumpet player and Principal of the Royal Academy, London).

Artists

Maurice André (trumpet), with Guy Touvron, Lionel André (trumpets), Daniel Arrignon, Jean-Philippe Chavana (oboes) & Joël Pontet (harpsichord), with Gérard Jarry (violin), Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute) & Pierre Pierlot (oboe), with Pierre Pierlot (oboe), with János Rolla (violin), Jacques Chambon (oboes), Jacques Chambon (oboes) & Paul Hongne (bassoon), with Huguette Fernandez (violin), with Marcel Lagorce (trumpet), with Bernard Gabel, Guy Touvron, Bernard Soustrot, Mineo Sugiki, Pierre Schweitzer (trumpets), Maxence Larrieu (flute), Pierre Pierlot (oboe) & Paul Hongne (bassoon)

Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Les Solistes de Liège, Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra, Württemberg Chamber Orchestra, Wiener Solisten, Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Orchestre de L’Association des Concerts Lamoureux, Saar Radio Chamber Orchestra, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Jean-Pierre Wallez, Géry Lemaire, Jean-François Paillard, Jörg Faerber, Frigyes Sándor, Sir Neville Marriner, Jean-Baptiste Mari, Karl Ristenpart, Philippe Caillard, Theodor Guschlbauer