Alexander Gibson

Unlike Universal’s only fitfully excellent Ravel box, this Debussy Edition of the almost complete works has no weak spots. Puzzlingly, the Saxophone Rhapsody is missing, and so are L’Enfant prodigue (except for one aria) and La Damoiselle élue, among other items, but all of the other significant works are included, and in very fine performances.

Royal Scottish National Orchestra - 125 Years of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (2016) {2CD Set Chandos CHAN 241-55}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 712 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 382 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 17 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2016 Chandos Records | CHAN 241-55
Classical / Orchestral

In the 2015 / 2016 season, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra celebrates a proud 125-year history of bringing the best in classical music performances to audiences right across Scotland and beyond. Marking its recording relationship with the Orchestra, Chandos has compiled a two-disc set (at the price of one CD) of the finest of thirty years of recordings that have shaped the reputation of the Orchestra as well as the label. The RSNO has amassed a tremendous discography on Chandos over the years, including great recording series devoted to works by Dvorak, Elgar, and Prokofiev. Now on SACD, its releases continue to receive high praise.

Phillips' Great Pianists of the 20th Century issue has gotten a lot of publicity in the ten or so years since it has been released. In a musical niche suffering from falling revenues, it was a decent seller. But it left many connoisseurs disappointed, as the quality was limited to the fancy packaging.

Ottorino Respighi is most celebrated for his vividly colourful symphonic poems, and above all the brilliantly orchestrated trilogy celebrating the landmarks and history of Rome: The Fountains of Rome, The Pines of Rome and Roman Festivals. Impressioni brasiliane, another triptych in a similar vein – although on a smaller scale – communicates Respighi’s impressions from the summer of 1927, which he spent in Rio de Janeiro. The composer was fascinated by the popular music of Brazil, but also by the nature (the rain forests in the Rio area inspired the first part of the triptych, Notte Tropicale), animal life (a visit to the famous Butantan collection of poisonous snakes and spiders gave him material for the sinuous second part) and, naturally, the carnival, with Canzone e Danza painting a picture of riotous and colourful street festivities.