Malmo Symphony Orchestra & Marc Soustrot - Saint-Saëns: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 - Phaéton (2015) [24/192]

Precocious as a child, Camille Saint-Saëns was once known as the French Mendelssohn. The remarkably assured First Symphony, completed at the age of 17, was praised by Berlioz and Gounod at its first performance. The elegantly crafted Second Symphony defies convention not least by basing the first movement on a fugue, while the symphonic poem Phaéton skilfully brings this Greek mythological drama to life with stampeding horses, thunderbolts and a moving apotheosis. This is Volume 1 of 3 devoted to the five Saint-Saëns Symphonies.

„In the First Symphony…Soustrot correctly highlights the adventurous writing for the harps, but never tastelessly, and some listeners may feel that the interpretation finds additional expressive depth in music often denigrated as merely sentimental. It’s good to hear it played with no apologies.

Soustrot’s exciting and rhythmically sharp reading of Phaéton makes a welcome bonus. This is unquestionably one of the best recordings of the piece, with an especially effective thunderbolt as Zeus hurls the hapless chariot (of the sun) driver from his seat. Attractively natural sonics round out a very promising start to this new series.“ (David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com)

„…I was wholly engrossed in these readings and the playing of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the recording of it is up to the highest standards.“ (Göran Forsling, MusicWeb International)

Tracklist:

Symphony No. 1 in E-Flat Major, Op. 2 :
1. I. Adagio - Allegro 08:45
2. II. Marche - Scherzo: Allegretto scherzando 04:44
3. III. Adagio 12:29
4. IV. Finale: Allegro maestoso 07:43

Symphony No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 55:
5. I. Allegro marcato - Piu allegro - Tempo primo - Piu allegro - Tempo primo - Allegro appassionato 07:21
6. II. Adagio 03:51
7. III. Scherzo: Presto - Un poco meno mosso 04:28
8. IV. Prestissimo - Andantino - Tempo primo 07:20

9. Phaeton, Op. 39 09:25

Personnel:
Malmö Symphony Orchestra
Marc Soustrot, conductor

Recorded at Malmö Concert Hall, Malmö, Sweden, from 19th to 23rd August, 2013 Produced, engineered and edited by Sean Lewis

Digitally remastered by 2xHD