Notes and Editorial Reviews
During the mid-19th century, it was traditional for all operas performed in Paris to have a ballet sequence inserted into one of their acts. One of the most prolific and celebrated opera composers of the era was Jules Massenet; this fantastic CD surveys ballet suites taken from three of his most popular works in the genre, all of which were written at the height of his career.
The release begins with one of Massenet’s most highly regarded compositions, the
Le Cid suite of 1885. Based on the story of the Castilian nobleman Rodrigo, who was
responsible for saving Spain through his defeat of the Moors, the work comprises
a series of picturesque movements brimming with dance rhythms drawn from different regions, and is followed by
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the composer’s Cendrillon suite – a masterpiece of orchestral writing that draws its material principally from the Act 2 ball scene. In the concluding suite, we move from Cendrillon’s fairy-tale enchantment to the spiritual Thaïs, which takes as its basis the tragic legend of a courtesan- turned-saint and includes some of the French composer’s most sombre music.
Although history has not taken kindly to all of Massenet’s operas, the suites heard here have remained enormously popular as concert pieces, testament to their quality
and appeal. With Le Cid’s inventive use of percussion and Thaïs’s religious treatment
of the organ, this collection abounds in colourful orchestration that recalls the
grandeur of 19th-century Parisian opera. It’s an ideal purchase for the Romantic ballet connoisseur.
OTHER INFORMATION:
• Recorded 23–25 November 1994, Church of St Jude on the Hill, London.
• Includes booklet notes, providing an over
view of each suite. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Le Cid: Ballet music by Jules Massenet
Conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Period: Romantic
Written: 1885; France
2.
Cendrillon: Orchestral Suite by Jules Massenet
Conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Period: Romantic
Written: 1899; France
3.
Thaïs: Ballet Suite by Jules Massenet
Conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Period: Romantic
Written: 1894; France
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