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List Price: $8.99 |
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Our Price: $8.99 |
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours |
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Customer Ratings: 4.5 (from 7 reviews) |
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| Editorial
Reviews |
Amazon.com
Faure wrote very little orchestral music. His most famous piece is the Suite from Pelleas, a very popular musical subject--as the operas, suites and tone poems by Schoenberg, Debussy, and Sibelius all bear witness. The Sicilienne is simply one of the great moments in French music--a confection of harp, flute, cello, and gentle strings. The tune sticks obstinately in the memory, but as you will soon learn, you can't sing it, for its fascination is as much harmonic as melodic. All of these works feature Faure's own personal brand of elegant, subdued Romanticism, and at budget price you'll find this disc a lovely diversion with a nice glass of wine. --David Hurwitz |
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| Product Details |
| Binding: |
Audio CD |
| Creator: |
- Gabriel Faure
- John Georgiadis
- RTE Sinfonietta
- Lynda Russell
- Michael Healy
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| EAN: |
0730099436021 |
| Label: |
Naxos |
| List Price: |
| Amount: |
899 |
| Currency Code: |
USD |
| Formatted Price: |
$8.99 |
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| Manufacturer: |
Naxos |
| Number Of Discs: |
1 |
| Package Dimensions: |
| Height: |
54 |
| Length: |
555 |
| Weight: |
18 |
| Width: |
497 |
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| Product Group: |
Music |
| Publisher: |
Naxos |
| Release Date: |
1998-05-26 |
| Studio: |
Naxos |
| Title: |
Fauré: Orchestral Music |
| UPC: |
730099436021 |
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| Customer Reviews |
Customer Rating: 4
Review Date: 2008-03-06
2 out of 2 found this review helpful.
Summary: Naxos does OK on this one. Could have been Great.
The works of Gabriel Faure, all too often overshadowed by talented countrymen and contemporaries like Berlioz, Debussy, Ravel or Saint-Saens, are a wonder; creative and soothing. In a time when dissonance and experimentation, in what is now know as the impressionist period, were the standard, Faure dared to remain erstwhile, firm in the style of established classical composition. That is not to take away from his amazing ability to compose pieces of exquisite beauty, but to state that he was firmly established in his apparently innate ability to compose pieces that were harmonious and melodic; he is credited as the master of the French melodie or 'art song', the French equivalent of German lieder; songs for voice.
I'm not one to put stock in critic's opinions as I usually disagree and prefer to decide for myself, but this disc was given a good review by the 'Penguin Guide to Classical Music' which stated that the CD contained "polished and cultured playing" and that the compilation was "an ideal collection of [Faure's] orchestral music". I would say that this is a somewhat fair assessment. The sound on this disc leaves a little to be desired, but for the price, I am willing to accept slightly lower quality; and it is only slightly lower quality, not horrible.
The RTE Sinfionetta, an off-shoot of the RTE Concert Orchestra of Dublin, is conducted by John Georgiadis on this compilation of some of Faure's most popular pieces. Some of the works were not originally composed for orchestra, but they are lovely in their transcribed form nonetheless.
Contained on this disc is:
>>>'Masques et Bergamasques' - 4 pieces for orchestra, composed originally as accompaniment for a stage piece. The title is a play on words but means 'masks and bergamasks', bergamasks being a native dance of the people of Bergamo in Northern Italy. Faure said of the piece that "it is like the impression you get from the paintings of Watteau", Watteau being a painter who brought to the canvas the life of the rich aristocrats of the 17th century; appropriate as the stage piece that the music accompanied was to be about aristocratic love lives as seen through the eyes of actors hired to perform for the dilettantes. The 1st movement, 'Ouverture' is amazing, my favorite of the four, carried by strings that play a quick harmony, backed by woods that play a wonderful, touching melody. The 'Menuet' is slower, carried almost completely by strings, somewhat unvarying, and a bit tedious. The 'Gavotte', a French folk dance, mercifully returns the composition to the lively origins of the 'Ouverture'. The final movement, a 'Pastorale', slowly closes the composition with a tuneful, mournful, baroque feel.
>>>'Dolly Suite' - 6 pieces, originally composed for piano, here orchestrated nicely, is my favorite piece by Faure (excepting his Op. 116, which is included on this disc). It is a lovely suite, dominated by strings like 'Masques et Bergamasques'. The 1st, 4th and 5th movements are especially dulcet and the suite is delicate and alluring.
>>>'Shylock' is a suite, composed as incidental music to accompany a play based upon, obviously, "The Merchant of Venice". It has 2 movements with vocal accompaniment, the 1st and the 3rd, and is an entertaining diversion, but never struck deep with me, personally.
>>>'Pelleas et Melisande' is, again, incidental music for a play of the same name. Faure also conducted the orchestra for the play, which performed it's 1st show in 1901. The pieces have been performed as solo piano and piano duets. All pieces are enjoyable; none stand out from the others.
>>>'Bercuese', Op. 16, is my favorite piece by Faure. Here is somewhat of a mix between a sonata and a concerto for violin. The violin is prominent throughout with only subtle, unobtrusive string accompaniment that is restrained, a soft melody to support the violin. This piece is unmistakably orchestrated genius.
The sound on the CD is somewhat muffled, not horrible, but not quite crisp, but I still think the value offered by Naxos is worth it and recommend this disc with 4 stars. Enjoy!!! |
Customer Rating: 4
Review Date: 2006-06-30
3 out of 3 found this review helpful.
Summary: Charming
This CD is full of very charming music of Faure, beginning with the Masques et Bergamasques, a 4-movement suite based on ancient dance forms. It is reminiscent of the style of Resphigi's Ancient Airs and Dances, especially the Minuet and the Gavotte.
The Dolly Suite, originally for piano duet, is a set of 6 pieces - although called a "suite for children", I find it very attractive as a work in its own right. "Berceuse" and "Jardin de Dolly" are full of repose, contrasted with the lively 3/4 of "Miaou" and "Kitty Valse". "Tendresse", my favourite movement, has a slow building of passion to an extatic climax, and a more wistful middle section. "Pas Espagnol" is a lively, Spanish dance. The orchestration of "Dolly" is great - full of constantly changing colours, and movement between instruments.
Shylock and Pelias and Melasande, incidental music for narratives, are also full of changing colours. The CD ends with the buoyant, charming "Berceuse" for violin. |
Customer Rating: 3
Review Date: 2006-06-28
2 out of 3 found this review helpful.
Summary: Nice performances, but...
It's too bad that these fine performances of some very lovely music were damaged by Naxos' sub-par recording. As was often the case in it's earlier recordings, Naxos engineers did a poor job of balance. To hear the quietest portions, one must crank up the volume - and then get blasted by the (relatively) loud moments. I wish I could do better that 3 stars, because other than the sound, this really is a lovely disc. |
Customer Rating: 5
Review Date: 2005-12-19
3 out of 3 found this review helpful.
Summary: A complete compilation of Faure's scarce orchestral music
If only the recording quality was better. If only, if only...because the pieces in this CD are simply gorgeous and there are some really special moments with the performances, especially the incidental music of Pelleas et Melisande and Lynda Russell's gorgeous voice in Shylock.
Spanning Faure's career from early to later works, I listen to this CD all the time. Only two criticisms: (1) with such thought given to the selections, where is Faure's "Pavane," probably the most famous work of his and one he wrote over and over again? (2) it's a shame the recording quality is not better, perhaps there will be a remastering someday. |
Customer Rating: 4
Review Date: 2001-08-22
2 out of 3 found this review helpful.
Summary: Orchestral music of Faure, some original, some not
This bargain-priced CD contains one famous piece: the ubiquitous "Sicilienne" from Pelléas et Melisande; one piece familiar to many musicians, at least in its piano-duet version, the Dolly Suite; and much unfamiliar but welcome music, the Masques et Bergamasques and the incidental music from Shylock, which apparently was a romanticized French adaptation of Shakespeare.To connoisseurs, Fauré's music appeals because of its craftsmanship, finish and surprising though never garish harmonic innovation. To casual listeners, this music will mostly sound smooth, pretty and perhaps a mite unvaried. These particular performances just miss the highest possible standard of polished execution; Fauré's relentlessly transparent textures expose some ragged string intonation in the RTE Sinfonietta's otherwise competent performances, nor is Lynda Russell's singing altogether comfortable in her two "Shylock" solos. Even so, it is good to have so many works not otherwise easily available together on one CD, especially at such a price. |
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