[ Bru Zane / 2 CD/Book ]
Release Date: Friday 13 November 2015
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Considered one of the finest composers of the late French Romantic period, Paul Dukas was also a brilliant orchestrator, known above all for The Sorcerer's Apprentice, one of the most frequently performed works worldwide. But four times, between 1886 and 1889, he failed to win the Prix de Rome competition.
He was a severe critic of his own works, many of which he systematically destroyed, but miraculously several ambitious and varied compositions have survived.
"Hervé Niquet and his forces are superb guides through this repertory, little of which has previously appeared on disc…orchestral textures are admirably lucid, the choral singing beautifully focused and the conducting impeccable…the whole thing adds immeasurably to our understanding of Dukas and is a very fine achievement indeed" Gramophone Magazine February 2016 Editor's Choice
"The cantata he wrote for the 1889 [Prix de Rome] competition, Sémélé, is the major curiosity here, performed for the first time, apparently, since it was heard at the competition...These orchestral and choral performances are much more than adequate, and Hervé Niquet brings out every textural point he can in Dukas's scoring." Guardian
Les Sirènes
La fête des myrthes
Sémélé
Pensée des morts
Hymne au soleil
L'Ondine et le Pêcheur
Velléda
Polyeucte
Villanelle (Orchestrated by Odette Metzneger)