GLAZUNOV / SCHUMANN / GLINKA / LIADOV: Orchestral Works - Ansermet, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (2 CDs)

Glazunov’s wonderfully atmospheric ‘The Seasons’ ballet, joins other Russian compositions by Liadov and Glinka as well as the colourful orchestral arrangement by Glazunov and others of Schumann’s ‘Carnaval’, in stunning recordings by Ernest Ansermet as part of the Decca Ansermet Legacy on Eloquence. In addition to the Glazunov and Glazunov-by-arrangement Ansermet recordings, this generous 2CD set offers all the Glinka and Liadov recordings in the Decca Ansermet catalogue. The ‘Changs Populairs Russes’ make their first appearance on CD and both ‘Baba Yaga’ and ‘Kikimora’ have their piquant endings delightfully realised by Ansermet and his Suisse Romande Orchestra.

‘Ansermet gives it tremendous zip and everywhere revels in the colourful detail of Glazunov’s scoring. As with all Ansermet’s recordings every bar of music is alive and the orchestral palette glitters’ Gramophone

CD1
ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV
The Seasons, Op. 67
Concert Waltz No. 1 in D major, Op. 47
Concert Waltz No. 2 in F major, Op. 51

ROBERT SCHUMANN
Carnaval, Op. 9 (arr. Glazunov, et.al.)

CD2
ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV
Stenka Razin – Symphonic Poem, Op. 13

MIKHAIL GLINKA
Overture: Ruslan and Ludmilla
Kamarinskaya Fantasy
Overture: A Life for the Tsar
Valse-Fantasie
Jota argonesa

ANATOLY LIADOV
Baba-Yaga, Op. 56
Kikimora, Op. 63
Chants Populairs Russes, Op. 58

L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Ernest Ansermet