Ernest Ansermet: French Music

One of the previous reviewers was trying to find out comparison with the French repertory included in this compilation.He mentioned Charles Dutoit " a contemporary Champion of this music" but dismissed him " not really belong in the Ansermet category". Then the reviewer mentionedCharles Munch would be a better candidate , but even he is not a match for Ernest's breath". Very good judgement and I agree with the previous reviewer completaly. I also agree that it is almost impossible to find another conductor who could master this broad repertory at this high level.The only one conductor as far as I 'm concerned who could equal and in some works surpas Ansermet is the great Italian Maestro Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957). Although Toscanini never recorded that many works of French Music as Ernest Ansermet , but his output is substantial.As an interpretative artist Toscanini conducting of the music by Claude Debussy(1862-1918) is on equal terms with Ansermet ,particularly in La Mer , Images Pt. 2 , Prelude de I' opres- midi d' une Faune,NocturneNo.1 and Iberia. In the music of Maurice Ravel(1875-1937) Ansermet is unsurpassed . Toscanini is also at his best and rivals Ansermet in the Daphniset Chloe,Suite No. 2 , and La Valse. In other Ravel works I like Rhapsodie Espagnole, Bolero and Daphnis et Chloe.Ansermet interpretations are authoritative with impeccable musicianship. Hector BerliozSymphonie Fantastique was one of his last recordings , but what a performance it is? Also superbly recorded are his overtures , Le CarnavalRomain,Beatrice et Benedict, Benvenuto Cellini Op.23 and La Damnation de Faust (excerpts). I have many recordings of Cesar Frank(1822-1890) Symphony in D minor with excellent recordings by Leopold Stokowski and Pierre Monteux,but Ansermet 's recording is my favorite for many years. There are three works where in my opinion Toscanini surpasses Ansermet in intensity and precision : Ferdinand Herold (1791-1842Zampa overture very popular work. Ambroise Thomas (1811-1896) Mignon overture, and Paul Dukas ( 1865-1935) L' apprenti sorcier.AnsermetWas always known as a great conductor of Ballet Music . His complete recording of Leo Delibes (1836-1891) Coppelia is quite magical, but hisOther Ballet Sylvia is only recorded as a Suite. In Georges Bizet's music ,Ansermet is again in his element , but has competition in other conductors , particularly Sir Thomas Beecham and Leopold Stokowski .the later in Carmen Suites and L' Arlesiene Suite, but despite the great competition , Ansermet equal's them both in intensity and musicianship. In the overtures by Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) Orphee aux enfersAnd La Belle Helene. Daniel Auber ( 1782- 1871) Le Domino noir overture and Fra Diavolo withEmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894)! Espana Rhapsodie ,Ansermet performances are very exciting with almost no competition at all. Of the music by Edouard Lalo ( 1823-1892 I heard onlyThe Symphonie Espagnole,Op.21, performed by violinist Ruggiero Ricci. And Ernest Ansermet conducting. Majority of these works by Gabriel Faure, Albert Roussel, Arthur Honegger , Alberic Magnard (1865-1914) whose Symphony No.3 was among Ansermet last recordings and Frank Martin ,I own for long time on LP's. Almost all of these recordings are excellent , but the sound might differ in some. The earliest recordings dates from 1952 which includes the first recording of Pelleas ea Melisande and Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Sarms (1835-1921). The remaining recordings were made in thr mid- fifties and sixties I excellent stereo sound. It is difficult to believe that the L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande is not recognized as one of the Great Orchestras in the world ,and yet they could mastered so many magnificent recordings with their Maestro on the podium conductor Ernest Ansermet ,and despite all odds agains them theyProvide for us magnificent Set of Russian Music and this excellent compilation. In conclusion I recommend this magnificent recordings to every music lover regardless of his or hers background and taste.

It is great to get most memorable French orchestral (and some vocal) works of the 19th and20th centuries in one set by a great conductor at such a low price. The orchestra is not oneof the world's reatest, but it is idiomatic as modern French orchestras don't tend to be.

These recordings of Ernest Ansermet/Orchestre de la Suisse Romande(Decca, 1954-67) are the stereo recordings this conductor/orchestra made of works by Debussy, Ravel, Berlioz, Bizet, Franck, Magnard, Saint Saens, Lalo, Faure, Offenbach,Thomas, Herold, Auber and represent a substantial portion of this conductor’s recordings. I am very thankful to have this 32 CD set, and very grateful to the merchant who sold it to me.I have been enjoying this great musical feast and if the Suisse Romande isn’t the absolute last word in polished playing: their first oboe and solo horn at the time aren’t as good as say New York or Philadelphia in 1960, for example - they play with spirit and elan, appropriate for French music.I believe these Ansermet/Suisse Romande Decca recordings are also to be released as part of a larger Ansermet edition in late April 2022, encompassing not only these French composers, but Ansermet’s Beethoven and Brahms Symphonies, Haydn’s “Paris” Symphonies and works of Rimsky Korsakov,Glinka, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Stravinsky and Prokofiev.

The proliferation of cheap boxed sets has been a wonderful thing. I have been able to hear the complete recordings of numerous older conductors whose work I could not afford in the past. In the process I have learned that there is no such thing as a "best" recording, but that there are pieces so rich that they demand a variety of great conductors to bring out the various facets of the composers' genius. That said, this journey has been one of the most delightful. Whatever shortcomings L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande may have had are more than overcome by the probing and revelatory insights Ansermet brings to this music. Over-familiar works spoke in new and fascinating ways, while other works I had dismissed as of lesser quality suddenly shone with unanticipated luster. Add to this great performances of pieces I had only heard of made this set one of the best purchases I have ever made. I will never think of hunting on Sunday again after hearing Ansermet's "Le Chasseur Maudit", and Lalo's "Rhapsodie Norvegienne" is now a favorite. Sound quality is the best Decca could give in those years, and Ansermet comes as close to combining spontaneity and perfection as anyone I have ever heard. You need this set.

While there is a paucity of information on these recordings included in the booklet, a sonic comparison with the earlier Decca Legends Box (as well with my copy of Honegger's Le Roi David) suggests that these discs have been remastered. And extremely well at that. The Honegger Roi David was almost unlistenable in its previous incarnation on the Decca ADRM recording. But the recording on this set is extraordinary in its clarity, dynamic range, and minimal remastering digital glare. These are treasurable recordings that are historic in the best sense of the word, and highly recommended!