Danse Macabre

Saint-Saëns’s Symphony No. 2 is, by any standards, an outright winner and deserves to be much better known. Here, it’s one of two substantial works flanking a rambunctious account of Danse macabre.

Esperanto is a language invented in 1887 by Zamenhof, who combined bits of various Romance language to make what he hoped would become a vehicle of universal communication. The Belgo-English band of the same name at the beginning of the 70s had a short but intense career and produced an extremely varied musical repertoire thanks to the many different nationalities, origins and outlooks of its members…

Kent Nagano's 2016 collection of supernatural-themed tone poems brings together three orchestral classics and three less frequently programmed pieces. Paul Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Modest Mussorgsky's A Night on the Bare Mountain are famous from their use in Walt Disney's Fantasia, and Camille Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre has become standard fare for Hallowe'en concerts. However, Antonín Dvorák's The Noonday Witch, Mily Balakirev's Tamara, and Charles Ives' Hallowe'en are likely unfamiliar to most listeners.

Danse Macabre is the sixteenth studio album by the British band Duran Duran. It was released on 27 October 2023 through BMG and Tape Modern. A Halloween-themed album, the record includes three new tracks, covers and reimagined versions of older Duran Duran material. Former guitarists Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo appear, making their first appearances on a Duran Duran LP since 2004's Astronaut and 2000's Pop Trash, respectively. Nile Rodgers and Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin also feature as guest artists. Exquisitely packaged the record features images adapted from a collection of authentic vintage séance photos that band member Nick Rhodes sourced at auction.

When Camille Saint-Saëns passed away, he left an impressive musical legacy. A child prodigy, virtuoso pianist and accomplished travel writer, the prolific French composer came to embody the spirit of Classicism in an era of high Romantic creativity. Yet the elegance and formality of his music never overwhelm the unstoppable verve and spontaneity that make it so irresistible.

Duran Duran return with their new album Danse Macabre. The 13 song collection features: three brand new songs, haunting covers of songs by artists such as Billie Eilish, Talking Heads, The Rolling Stones and The Specials, and new versions of Duran Duran classics from their own catalog. There is a rare rework B-side of fan favorite track “Secret Oktober 31st”. Guest artists include producer, guitarist and composer Nile Rodgers, Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin and former band members Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo. Exquisitely packaged featuring images adapted from a collection of authentic vintage séance photos that band member Nick Rhodes sourced at auction.