Martinon Conducts Pierné

Here is another LP from an excellent series produced by Erato with the Orchestre national de l'ORTF (the French national radio orchestra, the present-day Orchestre national de France). This edition contains colorful music by Gabriel Pierné (1863-1937), conducted by the eminent Jean Martinon (1910-76), the orchestra's music director at the time (1970).

Pierné is not as well remembered as his contemporaries Debussy and Ravel, who influenced him, but his compositions are of high quality and great appeal.

The LP contains music from the ballet Cydalise et le Chèvre-Pied, the orchestral suite Divertissements sur un theme pastoral and a Concertstück for harp and orchestra.

Gabriel Pierné

Cydalise et le Chèvre-Pied is a two-act ballet that Pierné scored in 1914-15, but was not performed until 1923. "Chèvre-pied" is literally translated as "goat-foot," but it actually refers to a satyr. Here, let me quote a helpful summary from Gramophone magazine: "The story, setting the natural world of nymphs and satyrs against the ‘unnatural’ one of court life, gives him [Pierné] plenty of scope for atmospheric strings and pastoral woodwind on the one hand, and pseudo 18th-century pomposity on the other."

The sound world is reminiscent of Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé of 1912 and of Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune of 1894, both of which Pierné certainly knew and possibly led as the conductor of the Concerts Colonne. His work, however, has its own flavor due to its more formal structure, neoclassical elements and influences of Stravinsky. Pierné conducted the premiere of The Firebird in 1910.

Jean Martinon

The composer drew two orchestral suites from Cydalise et le Chèvre-Pied. The first suite, presented by Martinon in its entirety, is drawn from the first act. The conductor also includes the final scene, which comes from the second act and was in Pierne's second suite from the ballet music.

The best-known excerpt from the score is the so-called "March of the Little Fauns," which opens the suite and sometimes appears on pops programs. It was recorded several times soon after its premiere, including a 1928 version from the Cleveland Orchestra under its founding music director, Nikolai Sokoloff. That disc can be found on my other blog.

Pierné's Concertstück for harp and orchestra comes from 1901 and here has a distinguished soloist, Lily Laskine (1893-1988). It, too, is a delightful work that Laskine and the orchestra perform superbly.

Lily Laskine

The final work on the program is the Divertissements sur un theme pastoral, which dates from 1931. The LP's annotator, Harry Halbreich, contends that it is perhaps the composer's most successful orchestral work. As the title implies, it is a diversion - light music that is designed to beguile and amuse, as do all the works on this record.

Some of Pierné's compositions have enjoyed repeated recordings; others have not been as fortunate. As noted, the "March of the Little Fauns" was recorded many times in the first half of the 20th century, and Pierné himself set down the final scene of the ballet in 1930. André Cluytens recorded selections of the ballet in 1951, but the performance was never issued. Excerpts conducted by Jean-Baptiste Mari came out on a French label in 1961, followed by the Martinon record in 1970. Mari would record both suites for EMI in 1976. A complete account of the ballet later appeared on CD.

The Concertstück has been recorded several times; indeed, this was Laskine's third go at the piece, following versions from 1935 and 1961. The Erato LP seems to be the second release of the orchestral Divertissements; the first was led by Jean Fournet in 1950.

At one time, the composer's most recorded work was the brief Sérénade, an early work. This was back in the days of the 78 when short compositions were easier to record (and sell).

The sound on the Erato record is quite good. My transfer comes from a pristine pressing. The link below is to the 16-bit, 44.1kHz version. A 24-bit, 96kHz transfer also is available upon request.

LINK (16-bit, 44.1kHz)

Pierné the Conductor

My other blog has a new post devoted to two short works with Pierné conducting the Orchestre Colonne: Chabrier's España and Pierné's own orchestration of Franck's Prelude, choral et fugue. These recordings, which date from 1929, can be found here.

More from the Orchestre National de l'ORTF

The series of ORTF recordings of French music appeared both on the Erato and Barclay labels. The following have also been featured on this blog.

• Maurice Duruflé - Messe "Cum jubilo," Quatre motets, Trois danses, conducted by the composer
• Gabriel Fauré - Shylock, Pavane, Madrigal, Caligula, conducted by Antonio de Almeida
• Louis Vierne - Symphonie en la, Spleens et détresses, conducted by Georges Tzipine

Roussel's ballet Aeneas, also conducted by Martinon, is coming up next.

Music from Ireland

For this post I am combining a few records to provide a by-no-means comprehensive overview of 20th century music in Ireland. First we have two transcription discs published by the Marshall Plan administration at about mid-century. Then a Decca LP of "New Music from Old Erin" from about 1958, augmented by a recent concert recording of an Ina Boyle overture.

Orchestras of the World - Ireland

Orchestras of the World label and Marshall Plan poster

The French conductor Jean Martinon (1910-76) was known for his performances of French, Russian and German composers, but in this unusual set we have him in circa 1950 recordings of music from Ireland.

The performances, with the then-new Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra, were issued on transcription discs by the Economic Cooperation Administration. The ECA was a US government agency that administered the Marshall Plan, which provided postwar aid to Western Europe. The agency produced an "Orchestras of the World" series that encompassed radio recordings from Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

Jean Martinon

On the Radio Éireann set, the composers represented are Hamilton Harty, Charles Stanford, E.J. Moeran, Redmond Friel and J.F. Larchet. A conservative selection to be sure, and one that includes an Englishman (Moeran, who was of part-Irish descent and did live and work at times in Ireland). As far as I can tell, only the Harty work had been recorded before this set was issued.

Charles Stanford

The program begins with the Overture to Shamus O'Brien, an 1895 composition by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924), a prolific composer and important teacher in England. It's a tuneful piece that gets the program off to a good start.

Redmond Friel

Next is Two Linked Melodies from Donegal by Redmond Friel (1907-79), a prolific arranger of traditional melodies. It's also enjoyable, but the Radio Éireann orchestra does seem a bit unsure of itself here. In 1950, it had only been in existence for a few years and did not have a music director, although Martinon and Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt worked with it regularly.

J.F. Larchet

John Francis Larchet (1884-1967) was the music director of the Abbey Theater from 1908-35, where he was responsible for the stage music for important plays by Yeats and others. He also taught such composers as Elizabeth Maconchy, Brian Boydell, Havelock Nelson, Seóirse Bodley and Frederick May. (See below for music by Boydell, Bodley and May.) Larchet primarily composed short works and arranged traditional tunes. His composition The Tinker's Wedding is a colorful piece sketching a social event among the itinerant people of Ireland.

E.J. Moeran

The two most substantial works on the program are next. First is the 1948 Serenade in G major by E.J. Moeran (1894-1950). This is one of Moeran's best works, a gorgeous reworking of circa 17th century dance forms. Martinon programmed the six-movement version of the work; it is what was to be published in 1952, after the composer's death. Moeran's original has eight movements. That version was recorded much later.

Sir Hamilton Harty

The symphonic poem With the Wild Geese by Sir Hamilton Harty (1879-1941) dates from 1910. The "Wild Geese" were Irishmen who were recruited to serve in continental armies in the 16th-18th centuries. Harty's lively programmatic composition includes such movements as "Soldiers' Life Abroad," "Night Before the Battle," "Battle" and "Return Home." The composer also achieved fame as a conductor, principally of the Hallé Orchestra.

The transcription discs also include a five-minute talk on "Life in Ireland Today" by former foreign correspondent Frank Gervasi, who was then working for the Marshall Plan.

I transferred this program from a set of the 16-inch transcription discs. The original sound is adequate broadcast quality for the time. There is some occasional mild rustle caused by a bit of warping, to which the large vinyl pressings were prone.

New Music from Old Erin, Vol. 1

I first shared this circa 1958 disc about a decade ago, but wanted to add a new version to this post because it complements the previous set by presenting compositions by three younger composers. It also features the Radio Éireann Symphony.

Milan Horvat

In this program the orchestra is led by Milan Horvat (1919-2014), its music director from 1953-58. He was later the chief conductor of the Zagreb Philharmonic in his native Croatia.

Brian Boydell

The Megalithic Ritual Dances by Brian Boydell (1917-2000) were inspired by pre-Christian rituals, although they follow no specific program. The work was written for the Radio Éireann Symphony. The composer was a professor at Trinity College in Dublin for many years.

Seóirse Bodley

The next composition, Music for Strings by Seóirse Bodley (1933-2023) was given its first performance by the Dublin Orchestral Players under Brian Boydell in 1952, when the composer was just 19. Bodley was to become one of the most significant Irish composers, and was also active as a teacher and conductor. This early work was influenced by Hindemith. Bodley later adopted different compositional methods.

Possibly E.J. Moeran, Frederick May, possibly pianist Tilly Fleischmann, Ina Boyle (1938)

Frederick May (1911-85) was hindered by health issues throughout his life, including increasing deafness. Almost all of his works were composed by 1942, including the Suite of Irish Airs, from 1937. Like his teacher J.F. Larchet, he spent a period as music director of the Abbey Theater.

I have remastered the recording in ambient stereo for this post. The sound is very good. These are all first recordings, as far as I know.

The Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra later became the RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) Symphony Orchestra and then the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. It is now the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.

Ina Boyle

Finally, as a bonus to New Music from Old Erin, I have added the 1934 Overture by Ina Boyle (1889-1967), a fine if conservative composer whose music has achieved some currency in recent years. This concert performance from 2018 is by the Ulster Orchestra under Maxim Emelyanychev. Thanks to the original poster for the source file.

LINK to Orchestras of the World - Ireland

LINK to New Music from Old Erin

Kathleen Long Plays Fauré and Françaix

The English pianist Kathleen Long (1896-1968) had a wide repertoire, but was particularly noted for her performances of Gabriel Fauré's music. In he two LPs comprising today's post we cover most of her recordings of that composer, while adding Jean Françaix's always-welcome Concertino. This is the pianist's first appearance on the blog.

Kathleen Long Plays Fauré

In this 10-inch LP, Long combines three middle-period compositions by the composer with his last piano work, the Op. 119 Nocturne. The latter is often considered one of Fauré's most profound creations. It is said to reflect his struggles both with increasing deafness and the approaching end of his life. As the anonymous sleeve notes proclaim, "In conclusion, expressed with a verity that mere words could never approach, we have the lassitude, the anxiety, the regrets and the despair of man as he stands on the threshold of the inescapable hereafter."

That description may be overblown, but the performance is not. Long was an understated artist a bit like Solomon, a frequent visitor to these pages. As with Solomon, the critics' views of her playing were mixed. The New Records claimed the disc represented Long at her best, while Roland Gelatt wrote in the Saturday Review, "The pianist plays this music with loving care, albeit stodgily at times."

The recordings date from 1944 to 1950. All but the Op. 31 Impromptu had been released on 78s. The sound is consistently good.

LINK to Kathleen Long Plays Fauré

Gabriel Fauré

Fauré - Ballade, Four Nocturnes; Françaix - Concertino

This 1954 LP of Fauré with a soupçon of Françaix contains all new recordings. In it, Long continued her exploration of the elder composer with four more Nocturnes along with his Ballade Op. 19, here in the version for piano and orchestra.

The Ballade has been recorded many times (even so, it managed to end up on a CD called "The Secret Fauré"), and rightfully so. It is elegant and a bit melancholy, like much of the composer's music. In this, Long's second recording of the work, she is ably partnered by the 44-year-old Jean Martinon, at the time the principal conductor of the Lamoureux Orchestra. Here he leads the London Philharmonic. It's a strikingly good performance.

Jean Martinon

In his High Fidelity review, Ray Ericson wrote, "Miss Long is not at first hearing the most seductive of pianists. She plays with a full tone most of the time, without a wide dynamic variation, although with many fine graduations. But how alive the music sounds, from the luscious individual tones through the phrasing up to the whole span. You hear everything - the voices superbly balanced and blended, the long lines sustained so as to keep the shimmering harmonies from disintegrating. Her performances can be played time and again without ever becoming pale."

Jean Françaix

Jean Françaix's Concertino, from 1932, is very much in the vein of his orchestral Serenade, which has appeared here three times (in versions led by Louis Lane, Anshel Brusilow and Eugen Jochum). The latter disc also includes the composer's own performance of the Concertino with the Berlin Philharmonic and Leo Borchard, made just five years after the work's composition. As I commented in that earlier post, the music manages to be memorable even though the whole piece lasts less than eight minutes. I recently remastered Françaix's recording in ambient stereo.

The sound on the second Long LP is quite good; the performances are highly recommended. Both albums are from my collection, transferred by request.

Let me also mention that you can find newly remastered Jean Martinon recordings of Prokofiev's Suite from The Love for Three Oranges and Classical Symphony here. They were made with his Lamoureux forces in 1953.

LINK to Fauré - Ballade, Four Nocturnes; Françaix - Concertino

Martinon Conducts Prokofiev

The lurid, Daliesque cover promotes "The Love for Three Oranges," but to me the real attraction here is the other Prokofiev work on the program - his Classical Symphony.

This is an exceptional performance of a composition I love. Jean Martinon conducts the Lamoureux Orchestra, which he then led, in this June 1953 recording.

Jean Martinon

I had not heard any of Martinon's early records before acquiring this disc, although I have several of his much later Chicago Symphony albums. I was very impressed by the highly detailed, beautifully balanced performances on this 10-inch LP.

There is a small offensive image on the cover - my apologies. (Addendum - See a note below from billinrio for an explanation of the image's meaning.)

This recording has now been remastered in ambient stereo.

LINK