Document

  1993
    February 1993
        Orchestral
                Massenet Orchestral Suites.

Massenet Orchestral [Suite] Suites. Monte-Carlo Opera Orchestra / John Eliot Gardiner.

Erato (Mid price) (CD) 2292-458/9-2 (two discs, oas: 41 and 45 minutes: ADD). From STU71208 (1/80).

2292-45858-2: No. 3, "Scenes dramatiques"; No. 6, "Scenes de feerie". La Vierge—Le dernier sommeil de la Vierge. 2292-45859-2: No. 4, "Scenes pittoresques"; No. 7, "Scenes alsaciennes". Don Quichotte—Interludes.

While Manon and Werther continue to hold their place, and sporadic bids are made for Massenet's other operas, his purely orchestral music—once a fairly staple ingredient of 'light classical' concerts and, in the old days, of seaside municipal orchestras (alas for their passing!)—has suffered in the disc booklet's words, "unjustified neglect". 'Neglect' certainly: it is rare to find any of the seven suites being played in concert-halls today, there are few current recordings, and few broadcasts save of an occasional movement in one of those hosted miscellanies that are increasingly dominating radio programming. As to 'unjustified', you may judge for yourself in these recordings from 1978, in which Gardiner followed in Bonynge's footsteps in presenting the case for them as whole-heartedly and effectively as possible.

Despite the cachet of his winning the Prix de Rome when only 21, it has to be conceded that Massenet's was a minor talent, often graceful and charming (as in the "Marche" and "Air de ballet" of the Scenes pittoresques), always attractive in his scoring, and found at its best in the picturesque Scenes alsaciennes (which were based on a short story by Daudet). On the other hand, he too easily lapsed into sentimentality or even downright banality, of which an example is his treatment of "Macbeth" in the Scenes dramatiques: in this suite "Desdemona asleep" is anodyne, with only a superficial, token reference to the dark forces threatening her; and the best movement is undoubtedly the first, representing various aspects of "The Tempest". The short durations of the two discs will be noted, but the recorded sound is excellent.

LS



		While Manon and Werther continue to hold their place, and sporadic bids are made for Massenet's other operas, his purely orchestral music—once a fairly staple ingredient of 'light classical' concerts and, in the old days, of seaside municipal orchestras (alas for their passing!)—has suffered in the disc booklet's words, "unjustified neglect". 'Neglect' certainly: it is rare to find any of the seven suites being played in concert-halls today, there are few current recordings, and few broadcasts save of an occasional movement in one of those hosted miscellanies that are increasingly dominating radio programming. As to 'unjustified', you may judge for yourself in these recordings from 1978, in which Gardiner followed in Bonynge's footsteps in presenting the case for them as whole-heartedly and effectively as possible.



		Despite the cachet of his winning the Prix de Rome when only 21, it has to be conceded that Massenet's was a minor talent, often graceful and charming (as in the "Marche" and "Air de ballet" of the Scenes pittoresques), always attractive in his scoring, and found at its best in the picturesque Scenes alsaciennes (which were based on a short story by Daudet). On the other hand, he too easily lapsed into sentimentality or even downright banality, of which an example is his treatment of "Macbeth" in the Scenes dramatiques: in this suite "Desdemona asleep" is anodyne, with only a superficial, token reference to the dark forces threatening her; and the best movement is undoubtedly the first, representing various aspects of "The Tempest". The short durations of the two discs will be noted, but the recorded sound is excellent.