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PASC037:
Ballet Music from the opera Le Cid - Massenet
MP3
price
London
Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Robert Irving Recorded:
14th - 16th July, 1952, Kinsgway Hall, London
Released as Decca LP LXT 2746 and London LP LL 651
Matrix
numbers: ARL.2155-1A, ARL.2156-2A
Download ID: 177748, 3999317
Duration
18'08"
Play
sample movement:
Massenet
is perhaps one of those unfortunate composers destined to be known cheifly
for one work - in his case the opera Manon - despite having been
one of the more prolific French opera composers. As Decca's original sleevenotes
for this recording pointed out:
...many
of his works have been forgotten or, at best, remembered only
for certain excerpts. Le Cid comes into this category,
for performances of the complete opera are rare, although the
ballet from it still retains its hold on the affections of the
public. Justly so, for the music is tuneful, vivid and exotic...
Well
that was the status quo in 1952. Alas it seems that Massenet's
flame burns even dimmer some 54 years later - a check in The Gramophone
catalogues of the 1950s against 2005 reveals even fewer recordings of
the ballet music currently on the catalogue than in the earliest days
of the LP.
This
is a huge shame, for this music is exactly as those sleevenotes describe,
and surely deserves greater airing. Take a listen to our example below,
the opening part of seven, entitled "Castillane", a lively
dance in 6/8 time bedecked with castanets evoking a real Spanish fiesta.
The
opera, premièred in Paris on 30th November, 1885, is set in 12th
century Spain, and based on a tragedy written by the French author Piere
Corneille about at famous knight and warrior of the time known as "Le
Cid". Of the four acts, the ballet comes in the second scene of Act
2, set on a fine spring day as a cast of townspeople, peasants and young
engaged couples are celebrating in the Great Square of Burgos with a series
of dances from the provinces of Spain.
Take
a listen closely too, and you'll hear the fine art of Peter Harrison's
immaculate remastering work, surely a masterpiece in its own right. Any
sense of this coming from "an old record" is entirely lost as
the magic of this musical performance is brought shining through.
REVIEW
OF BALLET MUSIC FROM LE CID LSO/Irving (1952)
I
don't much care for Massenet. In spite of his gifts of melody,
it seems to me that he shrinks everything down to the size
of the French 19th century bourgeoisie, whose paramerters
are: a good but small gain at the bourse, a good look up the
skirt of the girl who brings coffee, a good nap through the
cure's sermon and a good heavy Sunday afternoon meal. Even
in El Cid, which is an opera about the great Spanish warrior
who stopped the advance of the Moors, Massenet plays down
the drama of the encounter and is only mildly exciting in
the love scenes.
But
something happened to him in the ballet music. It is really
very, very good. Perhaps, like many French composers, the
proximity to Spain gave him some fresh inspiration. There
are many good tunes and exciting rhythms and the piece never
flags. Some of this is no doubt due to Robert Irving, a great
ballet conductor. Much is due to the very clear, undistorted
sonics achieved by Pristine Audio. If you want an uncomplicated
35 minutes full of charming incident and melody, this will
do quite well.
Is
Massenet off my bad list? By no means. Anyone who could write
the "Meditation" from "Thais" has much
to answer for.
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