PAUL PARAY & THE DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (10 CDS)

When Paul Paray (1886-1979) came to Detroit from Paris in 1951, he already enjoyed a
considerable reputation as a composer and conductor in Europe. The industrial centers around Lake Michigan were at the heart of the North American economy. In Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, the cultural institutions, especially the symphony orchestras, profited from the wealth of the region. In Detroit, the world's largest center of the auto industry, Paray was to bring the local orchestra to the highest level. The exceptional way in which he succeeded in doing just that, makes the ten CDs of this documentation a very special listening experience. Paray, who led the orchestra until 1963, after which he returned to Europe, was aided in this by an outstanding recording technique that has set benchmarks until today. It also was to benefit lesser known works and composers from 19th and early 20th century France, which Paray included in his programs. His sensitive handling of the music of German romanticism is also clearly recognizable in the complete recordings of the Schumann symphonies, which form the conclusion of this 10-CD box.

Paray's musical journey began in Rouen, in the boy's choir of the cathedral, and on the
organ there, on which he began to improvise as a boy. After his studies at the Paris
Conservatory, he was awarded the 1st Grand Rome Prize in 1911. This was followed by
directing the orchestras Lamoureux and Concerts Colonne and conducting at the Paris
Opera. A highlight in the life of the composer Paul Paray was his Mass for Joan of Arc,
which was performed in Detroit on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of her death in 1956.

CD 1
■ Hector Berlioz (1803 – 1869)
SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE, Op. 14
Episode de la vie d’un artiste
1. I. Réveries 11‘32
(Dreams-Passions /
Träume-Leidenschaften)
Largo – Allegro agitato e appassionato
assai
2. II. Un bal (A Ball / Ein Ball) 5‘34
Valse – Allegro non troppo
3. III. Scéne aux champs 14‘40
(Scene in the country / Szene auf dem
Lande)
Adagio
4. IV. Marche au supplice 4‘30
(March to the Scaffold / Gang zum
Richtplatz)
Allegro non troppo
5. V. Songe d’un nuit du Sabbat 8‘56
(Dream of Sabbath Night / Traum einer
Sabbathnacht)
Larghetto – Allegro
■ César Franck (1822 – 1890)
SYMPHONY IN D MINOR
Sinfonie in d-Moll
6. I. Lento – Allegro non troppo 16‘06
7. II. Allegretto 8‘52
8. III. Allegro non troppo 9‘10
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Paray
recorded / aufgenommen 1959
Total Time 79'29
CD 2
■ Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918)
LA MER
Trois Esquisses symphoniques
Three Symphonic Sketches / Drei
symphonische Skizzen
1. I. De l’aube à midi sur la mer 8‘24
(From Dawn till Noon on the Sea / Von der
Morgenröte
bis zum Mittag auf dem Meer)
Très lent
2. II. Jeux de vagues (Game of the
Waves / Spiel der Wellen) 6‘07
Allegro (dans un rythme très souple)
3. III. Dialogue du vent et de la mer 7‘41
(Dialogue between Wind and Sea /
Zwiegespräch
zwischen Wind und Meer)
Animé et tumultueux
L’APRES-MIDI D’UN FAUNE
(The Afternoon of a Faun / Der Nachmittag
eines Faun)
4. Prélude / Vorspiel 8‘29
IBÉRIA
Images pour orchestre, No. 2 (Images for
Orchestra / Orchesterbilder)
5. I. Dans les rues et les chemins 6‘05
(In the Streets and Byways / In den
Straßen und Gassen)
6. II. Parfum de la nuit 7‘29
(Fragrance of the Night / Der Duft der
Nacht)
7. III. Matin d’un jour de festival 4‘11
(Morning of a Festival Day /
Festtagsmorgen)
NOCTURNES
8. I. Nuages (Clouds / Wolken) 6‘16
9. II. Fêtes (Festivals / Feste) 5‘47
10. III. Sirènes (Sirens / Sirenen) 7‘42
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Paray
recorded / aufgenommen 1959 / 61
Total Time 68'27

CD 3
■ Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937)
1. BOLERO 13‘19
VALSES NOBLES ET
SENTIMENTALES
2. I. Modéré 1‘15
3. II. Assez lent 2‘17
4. III. Modéré 1‘20
5. IV. Assez animé 1‘12
6. V. Presque lent 1‘02
7. VI. Assez vif 0‘43
8. VII. Moins vif 2‘26
9. VIII. Epilogue. Lent 3‘27
DAPHNIS ET CHLOÉ, Suite No. 2
10. I. Lever du jour 6‘02
11. II. Pantomime 6‘10
12. III. Dansé générale 3‘26
13. LA VALSE 11‘40
(The Waltz / Der Walzer)
14. ALBORADA DEL GRACIOSO 6‘36
RAPSODIE ESPAGNOLE
15. I. Prélude à la nuit 3‘42
16. II. Malagueña 2‘09
17. III. Habanera 2‘54
18. IV. Feria 5‘55
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Paray
recorded / aufgenommen 1958 (1) 1959
(2-9) 1961 ( 10-12) 1962 (13-18)
Total Time 75'59
CD 4
■ Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937)
1. PAVANE POUR UNE INFANTE DÉFUNTE
5‘59
(Pavane for a dead Princess / Pavane auf den
Tod einer Infantin)
MA MÉRE L’OYE, Suite
2. I. Pavane de la belle endormie (Pavane of
the Sleeping Beauty) 1‘39
3. II. Hop-o‘-mon-pouce (Hop-o’my-Thumb)
2‘53
4. III. Laideronette, impératrice des pagodes
3‘32
(Laideronette, Empress of the Pagodas)
5. IV. Les conversations de la belle et la bête
3‘46
(The Conversations of the Beauty and the
Beast)
6. V. Le jardin des fées (The Fairy Garden)
3‘27
LE TOMBEAU DE COUPERIN
7. I. Prélude 2‘55
8. II. Forlane 5‘05
9. III. Menuet 4‘07
10. IV. Rigaudon 2‘47
■ Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918)
PETITE SUITE
11. I. En bateau (A Ship / Ein Boot) 3‘02
12. II. Cortège (A Procession / Ein Festzug)
2‘52
13. III. Menuet 2‘50
14. IV. Ballet 2‘42
■ Jules Massenet (1842 – 1912)
PHÈDRE
15. Prélude (Overture / Ouvertüre) 9‘06
■ Adolphe Adam (1803 – 1856)
SI J’ÉTAIS ROI
(If I Where King / Wenn ich König wär)
16. Prélude (Overture / Ouvertüre) 6‘33
■ Ferdinand Hérold (1791 – 1833)
ZAMPA
17. Prélude (Overture / Ouvertüre) 7‘26
■ Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791 – 1864)
LE PROPHÈTE
18. Mars du couronnement (Coronation
March / Krönungsmarsch) 4‘19
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Paray
recorded / aufgenommen 1962 (1-6, 11, 15)
1960 (16, 17) 1959 ( 7-14, 18)
Total Time 75'34

CD 5
■ Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921)
SYMPHONY No. 3 IN C MINOR, Op. 78
(“Organ”)
Sinfonie Nr. 3, c-Moll, op. 78
(„Orgelsinfonie“)
1. I. Adagio – Allegro moderato 10‘12
2. II. Poco adagio 9‘17
3. III. Allegro moderato – Presto 6‘27
4. IV. Maestoso – Allegro 8‘10
SAMSON ET DALILA
5. Bacchanale 7‘34
6. DANSE MACABRE, Op. 40 6‘58
7. MARCHE HÉROÏQUE, Op. 34 6‘41
(Heroic March / Heldenmarsch)
8. MARCHE MILITAIRE FRANÇAISE
3‘48
■ Daniel Fr. E. Auber (1782 – 1871)
LES DIAMANTS DE LA COURONNE
(The Crown Diamonds / Die
Krondiamanten)
9. Prélude (Overture / Ouvertüre) 7’08
■ Jacques Offenbach (1819 – 1880)
LA BELLE HÉLÈNE
10. (Overture / Ouvertüre) 7‘35
ORPHÉE AUX ENFERS
(Orpheus in the Underworld / Orpheus in
der Unterwelt)
11. Can Can 2‘05
Marcel Dupré organ / Orgel (1-4)
Detroit Symphony Orchestra conductor /
Dirigent Paul Paray
recorded / aufgenommen 1957 (1-4)
1959 (7, 8, 10, 11) 1960 (6, 9) 1961 (5)
Total Time 76'31
CD 6
■ Georges Bizet (1838 – 1875)
1. LA PATRIE 11‘14
CARMEN, Suite
2. I. Prélude 1‘25
3. II. La Garde montante 2‘34
4. III. Les Dragons d’Alcala 1‘44
5. IV. Intermezzo 2‘08
6. V. Aragonaise 2‘04
7. VI. Les Toréadors 2‘19
8. DANSE BOHÈME 4‘35
L’ARLESIENNE, Suite No. 1
9. II. Prélude 7‘03
10. II.Minuetto 2‘23
11. III. Adagietto 2‘40
12. IV. Carillon 4‘43
L’ARLESIENNE, Suite No. 2
13. I. Pastorale 5‘34
14. II. Intermezzo 3‘34
15. III. Menuet 3‘34
16. IV. Farandole 3‘27
■ Charles Gounod (1818 – 1893)
FAUST, Ballet Music
17. I. Danse des Nubiennes (Waltz) 2‘24
18. II. Adagio 4‘34
19. III. Danse antique (Danse of the
Nubians) 1‘41
20. IV. Variations de Cléopâtre
(Cleopatra’s Dance) 1‘29
21. V. Les Troyennes (Dance of the Trojan
Maidens) 1‘50
22. VI. Variations du miroir (Helen’s
Dance) 1‘42
23. VII. Danse de Phryné (Bacchanalia)
2‘24
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Paray
recorded / aufgenommen 1956 (2-7, 9-16)
1958 (1) 1962 (8, 17-23)
Total Time 77'32

CD 7
■ Emmanuel Chabrier (1841 – 1894)
1. ESPAŇA 6‘33
2. BOURRÉE FANTASQUE 6‘08
3. JOYEUSE MARCHE 3‘35
LE ROI MALGRÉ LUI
4. Fête Polonaise 7‘33
5. Danse Slave 5‘07
GWENDOLINE
6. Prélude 8‘41
SUITE PASTORALE
7. I. Idylle 4‘05
8. II. Danse villageoise 4‘20
9. III. Sous bois 2‘57
10. IV. Scherzo – Valse 4‘35
■ François Adrien Boieldieu (1775 –
1834)
LA DAME BLANCHE
(The White Lady / Die weiße Dame)
11. Prélude (Overture / Ouvertüre) 7‘18
■ Ambroise Thomas (1811 – 1896)
RAYMOND
12. Prélude (Overture / Ouvertüre 6‘38
MIGNON
13. Prélude (Overture / Ouvertüre) 8‘09
14. Gavotte 2‘00
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Paray
recorded / aufgenommen 1960 (1, 4-13)
1959 (3) 1957 (2) 1962 (14)
Total Time 78'23

CD 8
■ Ernst Chausson
SYMPHONY in B-FLAT MAJOR No. 20
Sinfonie Nr. 3, F-Dur, op. 90
1. I. Lent - Allegro vivo
2. II. Très lent
3. III. Animé

Edouard Lalo (1823-1892)
Namuona, Suite No. 1
4. 1. Prélude
5. 2. Sérénade
6. 3. Thème varié
7. 4. Parades de Foire
8. 5. Fête foraine

Eduoard Lalo (1823-1892)

9. L'roi d'ys (Overture)

Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880)

10. Le conte des Hoffmann (Overture)

Charles Gounod (1818 - 1893)

Ballet Music from "Faust:

11. Waltz 2:24
12. Ensemble (Adagio) 4:33
13. Dance Of The Nubians 1:41
14. Cleopatra's Dance 1:28
15. Dance Of The Trojan Maidens 1:49
16. Helen's Dance 1:42
17. Bacchanalia 2:26
18. Act II Waltz From "Faust"

Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Paray

CD 9
■ Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856)
SYMPHONY No. 1 IN B FLAT MAJOR,
Op. 38 (“Spring”)
Sinfonie Nr. 1, B-Dur, op. 38
(„Frühlingssinfonie“)
1. I. Andante un poco maestoso –
Allegro molto vivace 11‘00
2. II. Larghetto 6‘32
3. III. Scherzo: Molto vivace 5‘29
4. IV. Allegro animato e grazioso 8’05
SYMPHONY No. 2 IN C MAJOR, Op. 61
Sinfonie Nr. 2, C-Dur, op. 61
5. I. Sostenuto assai – Un poco più
vivace 10‘25
– Allegro ma non troppo
6. II. Scherzo: Allegro vivace 6‘33
7. III. Adagio espressivo 9‘29
8. IV. Allegro molto vivace 7‘32
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Paray
recorded / aufgenommen 1953/55
Total Time 65'13
CD 10
■ Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856)
SYMPHONY No. 3 IN E FLAT MAJOR,
Op. 97 (“Rhenish”)
Sinfonie Nr. 3, Es-Dur, op. 97
(„Rheinische Sinfonie“)
1. I. Lebhaft 9‘36
2. II. Scherzo: Sehr mäßig 5‘34
3. III. Nicht schnell 5‘03
4. IV. Feierlich 5‘58
5. V. Lebhaft 5‘07
SYMPHONY No. 4 IN D MINOR, Op.
120
Sinfonie Nr. 4, d-Moll, op. 120
6. I. Ziemlich langsam – Lebhaft 10‘05
7. II. Romanze: Ziemlich langsam 3‘55
8. III. Scherzo: Lebhaft 4‘03
9. IV. Langsam – Lebhaft 6‘55
MANFRED, Op. 115
10. Overture / Ouvertüre 10‘38
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Paul Paray
recorded / aufgenommen 1956/58
Total Time 67'09