la Caravane Passe Valse Manouche

Premiered in 1784 at the Académie Royale de Musique, where it ensured the institution’s fortune, La Caravane du Caire was one of Grétry’s most famous operas, its popularity continuing into the 19th century. After the recording made under the direction of Marc Minkowski in 1991, Guy Van Waas proposes an energetic new version that enables us to discover a few variants in relation to the previous version. This production, realized by the Palazzetto Bru Zane of Venice, benefits from a fascinating musicological presentation by Alexandre and Benoît Dratwicki. The libretto is typical of the oriental subjects that were so highly prized in the late 18th century. Here, the beautiful Zélime, sold as a slave to a pasha, is rescued from the seraglio thanks to the courage of her beloved Saint-Phar and the loyalty of another Frenchman, Florestan. The work is peppered with comical situations, tender or bravura arias (including a pastiche of Italian-style coloratura) and embellished with numerous ballets, some of which contribute an original note of exoticism.

L'Orchestre Sympathique was a progressive jazz rock quartet founded in 1976 by classicaly trained vibraphonist/percussionist Jean Vanasse, flautist/pianist Francois Richard, and drummer Mathieu Leger. They were joined by various bass players over the years. They released three live albums over their careers including this one recorded live at the La Grande Passe in April of 1979. They never could secure a record deal so there were no studio albums released unfortunately. The band would eventually move to Paris, France and toured Europe extensively from 1981-1985. This album is of particular interest to progressive music lovers, sounding very much like early Maneige.

The first ever album dedicated to the music of Ernest Shand, including several first recordings.

Django Reinhardt - Intégrale - La Collection Complète (1928-1953) {20 vols - 40CD - Fremeaux & Associes rel 1996-2005}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 8.28 Gb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 1.32 Gb | 5% repair rar
© 1928-1953, 1996-2005 Frémeaux & Associés | FA 301 ~ FA 323
Jazz / Continental Jazz / Swing / Gypsy / Guitar

Set of Fremeaux’s definitive Integrale Django Reinhardt collection. Mastered by Daniel Nevers, there are 20 volumes of these, and each volume has 2 CDs – 40 CDs total. Each volume also comes with a fairly thick booklet with discography and notes. And the booklets and inserts have very nice B&W pictures of Django. Une réédition d’exception ! Depuis quelques années maintenant, les éditions Frémeaux ont entrepris la publication d’une intégrale des enregistrements de Django Reinhardt.

Les Agrémens, Guy van Waas - La symphonie parisienne (2015) {7CD Set Ricercar Digital Download RIC 357}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44kHz - Official Digital Download (qobuz.com) -> 2.32 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.17 Gb
Full Artwork (jpg+pdf) -> 64 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2015 Ricercar / Outher Music | RIC 357
Classical / Viennese School / Symphony

It was at Le Concert Spirituel that the Germanicstyle symphony made its appearance in Paris. This story began in the 1750s with the arrival of musicians from Mannheim, including Johann Stamitz, in the French capital. Subsequently, various composers such as the Belgian François-Joseph Gossec appeared as the creators of the earliest French symphonies before Haydn’s symphonies enjoyed a very particular success there. This set, released on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Les Agrémens, takes up most of the recordings conducted by Guy Van Waas in a repertoire bringing together composers played in Paris at the end of the 18th century (Gossec, Grétry, Haydn, Krauss), and announcing the beginnings of the Romantic symphony with two recording premieres: a symphony by Hérold and Beethoven’s Second Symphony.

This wonderful disc is a collaboration between Les Charbonniers de l'Enfer (an a cappella ensemble that specializes in the traditional songs of Quebec and Acadia) and La Nef (a trio that specializes in both early and contemporary classical music). The title refers to the crossing of waters both great and small by centuries of sailors; the program combines traditional seafaring songs with accounts of the Seven Years' War and its attendant sea battles. Many of the songs are in the unison, call-and-response style that will be familiar to fans of traditional Quebecois music, and sound very much like early recordings by La Bottine Souriante accompanied by a string section.