Tableau 9 Official

Many years before Richard Strauss composed his opera on the subject of Salome and John the Baptist, Jules Massenet had explored the same relationship in Hérodiade.

Paris, early Twentieth Century: in the space of three ballets, a previously unknown Russian composer revolutionised the music of his time. With The Firebird and Petrushka, respectively fairytale and folktale, and of course The Rite of Spring, a telluric invocation with its insanely innovative harmonies and rhythms, Stravinsky dynamised the Late Romantic orchestra, taking it to literally unheard-of places.

Rimsky-Korsakov’s Christmas Eve, based on a short story by Gogol, centres on the love of the blacksmith Vakula for the rich farmer’s daughter Oksana, who mockingly requires him to obtain for her the Tsarina’s shoes in order to win her hand in marriage. However, evil spirits are on the rampage imperilling their love – a witch on her broomstick gathers the stars and the devil steals the moon. Rimsky-Korsakov blends Christian and pagan elements, Ukrainian folk songs and carols, and atmospheric orchestral interludes in this vivacious and fantastical village romance.

ATMA Classique is delighted to release the world premiere recording of David Bontemps’ 2020 chamber opera La Flambeau, based on the eponymous drama by Haitian playwright Faubert Bolivar. La Flambeau was premiered on February 7, 2023 at Montréal’s Salle Pierre-Mercure with Suzanne Taffot, Catherine Daniel, Paul Williamson and Brandon Coleman and the Orchestre classique de Montréal, conducted by Alain Trudel.Set in Haiti, the libretto for La Flambeau was adapted by Bontemps himself. La Flambeau tells the story of a dysfunctional couple, Monsieur (a narcissistic, ambitious intellectual obsessed with the ideals of the Republic) and Mademoiselle (who talks to her dead parents), who hire a working-class housewife. Through imposed dogma and deceptive behaviour, Monsieur abuses Mademoiselle. After a trial and a surreal confession, Monsieur is condemned through a kind of popular justice to become a zombie at the service of all.

Every pianist in his dream plays Rachmaninoff. Playing Rachmaninoff is part of being a pianist. When I play Rachmaninoff, I may find even greater satisfaction in being part of the ongoing adventure of pianism. When I play Rachmaninoff, my fingers dream, not me. I have chosen one for the album from an uncapturable plethora of Preludes and Etude-images. My selection is purely an intuitive selection of a single illuminating moment. László Borbély

Every pianist in his dream plays Rachmaninoff. Playing Rachmaninoff is part of being a pianist. When I play Rachmaninoff, I may find even greater satisfaction in being part of the ongoing adventure of pianism. When I play Rachmaninoff, my fingers dream, not me. I have chosen one for the album from an uncapturable plethora of Preludes and Etude-images. My selection is purely an intuitive selection of a single illuminating moment. László Borbély

The most complete collection ever issued of the Dutch Minimalist master, including the famous Canto Ostinato but also many previously unreleased recordings, all made by a pianist with an international reputation in the field of Minimalism.

Every pianist in his dream plays Rachmaninoff. Playing Rachmaninoff is part of being a pianist. When I play Rachmaninoff, I may find even greater satisfaction in being part of the ongoing adventure of pianism. When I play Rachmaninoff, my fingers dream, not me. I have chosen one for the album from an uncapturable plethora of Preludes and Etude-images. My selection is purely an intuitive selection of a single illuminating moment. László Borbély

The first of three volumes focusing on Stravinsky’s music conducted by Vladimir Jurowski includes his Opus One, the Symphony in E-flat, unmistakably Russian and that young Igor was a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov. It’s a likeable piece, leaning to Borodin in places, confident and imaginative, with a featherlight Scherzo, an intensely eloquent Largo, and a Finale of Imperial swagger, handsomely brought off by the LPO and Jurowski in immediate and clear sound, the very ideal of the Royal Festival Hall. Mezzo Angharad Lyddon is excellent in Faun and Shepherdess, straight out of the Tchaikovsky songbook, and anticipations of the Stravinsky to come (Firebird anyway) surface with Scherzo fantastique, given a buoyant outing, with fantasy and clarity in equal measure. The ‘lost and found’ Funeral Song – interesting because Stravinsky wrote it (in memoriam Rimsky) rather than for its musical worth, although Jurowski finds more than some previous performances (the piece went viral a few years ago). A shame that this first disc does not include Fireworks, Stravinsky’s Opus Four, for then his first five Opuses would be together, although that way of cataloguing his works would cease.