Neeme Järvi Kabalevsky

In his latest recording for Chandos with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi explores pieces by three of Estonia’s first composers. The bulk of the works in the programme were composed in the first decade of the twentieth century, and are all excellent representations of the birth of Estonian Music, as Estonia transitioned from a territory in the Russian Empire to an independent nation state. As was the norm at the end of the nineteenth century, these composers studied at the St Petersburg Conservatory, and Estonian symphonic music certainly has its roots in the Russian nationalist style. Like so much of European music of this era, ethnic identity is emphasised by the inclusion of native folk tunes, and the ‘Nordic’ style of Grieg and others is clearly an influence.

Lalo considered himself to be first and foremost an opera composer, even though Le Roi d’Ys was his only opera to be performed in his lifetime. He is now best known for his symphonic and chamber music, largely because of the highly political musical establishment in France in his time. The Overture to the opera (which opens this album) is now the best-known music from the piece, which proved a considerable success in France.

In his latest recording for Chandos with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi explores pieces by three of Estonia’s first composers. The bulk of the works in the programme were composed in the first decade of the twentieth century, and are all excellent representations of the birth of Estonian Music, as Estonia transitioned from a territory in the Russian Empire to an independent nation state. As was the norm at the end of the nineteenth century, these composers studied at the St Petersburg Conservatory, and Estonian symphonic music certainly has its roots in the Russian nationalist style. Like so much of European music of this era, ethnic identity is emphasised by the inclusion of native folk tunes, and the ‘Nordic’ style of Grieg and others is clearly an influence.

In this fascinating recording the legendary Neeme Järvi explores two lesser-known French ballets by Sauguet and Ibert, complemented by the Ballet Suite from Massenet’s opera HérodiadeLes Forains. Sauget’s wide-ranging influences, notably the orchestration of Richard Strauss as well as the works of Satie and les Six, give his work a flowing, openly melodic style that is immediately appealing and full of wit and charm. Following the success of Les Forains, Ibert’s ballet Les Amours de Jupiter premiered on 9 March 1946.

The nineteenth-century French opera overture was for many years looked down on by certain music critics (and musicians) – largely as the genre turned its back on the historical adherence to strict musical form (fugue, sonata form, etc.). Percy Scholes, in the 1955 Oxford Companion to Music, had the following to say: ‘a cheap but not always ineffective type of opera overture is that of the pot-pourri or medley – little more than a string of tunes from the work to follow.’ These overtures were incredibly popular in their time, and the revival of this repertoire is long overdue. Daniel Auber composed more than fifty operas, some for the Paris Opéra and some for the Opéra Comique. His Grand Opera La Muette de Portici famously sparked the Belgian revolution in 1830, which led to the country’s independence in 1839. Les Cloches de Corneville was by far the most successful of Planquette’s twenty-four operas, receiving some 400 consecutive performances. Alexandre Lecocq’s La Fille de Madame Angot was premièred in Brussels in 1872 and is set in post-revolutionary Paris. The Overture is followed here by numbers put together by Gordon Jacob, in his re-orchestration of material taken mainly from the opera, for Léonide Massine’s ballet Mam’zelle Angot, which closely follows the action of the opera.

The nineteenth-century French opera overture was for many years looked down on by certain music critics (and musicians) – largely as the genre turned its back on the historical adherence to strict musical form (fugue, sonata form, etc.). Percy Scholes, in the 1955 Oxford Companion to Music, had the following to say: ‘a cheap but not always ineffective type of opera overture is that of the pot-pourri or medley – little more than a string of tunes from the work to follow.’ These overtures were incredibly popular in their time, and the revival of this repertoire is long overdue. Daniel Auber composed more than fifty operas, some for the Paris Opéra and some for the Opéra Comique. His Grand Opera La Muette de Portici famously sparked the Belgian revolution in 1830, which led to the country’s independence in 1839. Les Cloches de Corneville was by far the most successful of Planquette’s twenty-four operas, receiving some 400 consecutive performances. Alexandre Lecocq’s La Fille de Madame Angot was premièred in Brussels in 1872 and is set in post-revolutionary Paris. The Overture is followed here by numbers put together by Gordon Jacob, in his re-orchestration of material taken mainly from the opera, for Léonide Massine’s ballet Mam’zelle Angot, which closely follows the action of the opera.

The nineteenth-century French opera overture was for many years looked down on by certain music critics (and musicians) – largely as the genre turned its back on the historical adherence to strict musical form (fugue, sonata form, etc.). Percy Scholes, in the 1955 Oxford Companion to Music, had the following to say: ‘a cheap but not always ineffective type of opera overture is that of the pot-pourri or medley – little more than a string of tunes from the work to follow.’ These overtures were incredibly popular in their time, and the revival of this repertoire is long overdue. Daniel Auber composed more than fifty operas, some for the Paris Opéra and some for the Opéra Comique. His Grand Opera La Muette de Portici famously sparked the Belgian revolution in 1830, which led to the country’s independence in 1839. Les Cloches de Corneville was by far the most successful of Planquette’s twenty-four operas, receiving some 400 consecutive performances. Alexandre Lecocq’s La Fille de Madame Angot was premièred in Brussels in 1872 and is set in post-revolutionary Paris. The Overture is followed here by numbers put together by Gordon Jacob, in his re-orchestration of material taken mainly from the opera, for Léonide Massine’s ballet Mam’zelle Angot, which closely follows the action of the opera.

For their latest album, Neeme Järvi and his Estonian National Symphony Orchestra present a delightful programme of lesser-known stage music from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Overtures by Thomas, Auber and Boieldieu were all composed for works staged at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, and are wonderful examples of the period.