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Saint-Saëns: Symphonic Poems - Le Carnaval des Animaux - l'Assassinat du Duc de Guise
Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 17th November 2023
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BBC Music Magazine, Christmas Issue 2023, Orchestral Choice
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Gramophone Magazine, December 2023, Editor's Choice
One of his many virtues is that he’s not afraid of making his orchestra play very, very quietly; another is that, where a composer has not noted dynamics, Roth feels free to invent them, and...
Saint-Saëns: Symphonic Poems - Le Carnaval des Animaux - l'Assassinat du Duc de Guise
Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth
Purchase product
Awards:
-
Presto Recording of the Week, 17th November 2023
-
BBC Music Magazine, Christmas Issue 2023, Orchestral Choice
-
Gramophone Magazine, December 2023, Editor's Choice
One of his many virtues is that he’s not afraid of making his orchestra play very, very quietly; another is that, where a composer has not noted dynamics, Roth feels free to invent them, and...
About
François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles offer us a double-sided portrait of Saint-Saëns here.
On one side, some of the most fascinating symphonic poems of French Romanticism are revealed in all the shimmering timbres of the period.
On the other, we rediscover a composer who enjoyed a good laugh (The Carnival of the Animals also returns to its original colours) when he was not involved in the early days of the cinema, with the very first music ever composed for a film.
Contents and tracklist
Spotlight on this release
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Saint-Saëns symphonic poems from François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles
17th Nov 2023
A selection of Saint-Saëns's luscious orchestral pieces - familiar and less-known, and including a real treasure from the very dawn of the cinematic era - get the Les Siècles treatment, leaping off the page thanks to intelligent and sensitive performances on period instruments.
Awards and reviews
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Presto Recording of the Week17th November 2023
-
BBC Music MagazineChristmas Issue 2023Orchestral Choice
-
Gramophone MagazineDecember 2023Editor's Choice
Christmas 2023
One of his many virtues is that he’s not afraid of making his orchestra play very, very quietly; another is that, where a composer has not noted dynamics, Roth feels free to invent them, and does so with finesse.
December 2023
As anticipated, Roth and Les Siècles bring sparkle and panache to these colourful scores. The four tone poems are packed with drama.
17th November 2023
the opening of the first symphonic poem Phaéton immediately makes it clear what is in store: brash brass chords, and a string flourish in which the instruments’ distinctively gritty sound is clearly audible. The woodwind, too, come out of the starting-blocks in fine form...The opportunity to discover what are effectively another four Saint-Saëns symphonic poems is a real joy - personally, the characterful L’Assassinat soundtrack is the one that I found myself returning to the most, but the three mythology-inspired works are no less compelling.
29th November 2023
Darkly resinous strings, poetic woodwinds, the pearly brilliance of a rare Pleyel “double piano” (two keyboards, one at either end): the tonal delights never stop in this thoroughly enjoyable album.
