This is an interesting
and instructive collection of French
music written within a very short period
near the end of the nineteenth century.
Each movement of the three Suites here
has, as the curiously translated notes
point out, a "suggestive title"
referring to some picturesque or exotic
scene. This was by no means a new phenomenon.
French composers from a couple of centuries
earlier had been giving exotic titles
to harpsichord pieces, and there are
many examples of the exotic in French
opera from the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. Each of the present Suites
comprises a series of illustrative scenes
from some particular location. That
said, one might wonder whether, without
prior knowledge of the titles, that
location could be correctly identified
though I am far from sure that this
is of any great importance in itself.
The Scènes
Alsaciennes are the last of Massenet’s
seven orchestral Suites. According to
the notes they "evoke the annexation
of this French territory [Alsace] by
Germany during the war of 1870-71".
However it is not so much the annexation
itself as the feeling of loss of that
territory that is evoked in four movements
illustrating in turn a quiet street
on a Sunday morning, dancing at a cabaret,
a pair of lovers walking among the trees,
and a scene of general rejoicing. It
may not be Massenet’s best work, and
at times it does seem much too long
for its content, but it is enjoyable
to listen to, and is given a sensitive
and, where necessary, lively performance
by the Nice Philharmonic.
The middle work is
also the longest – the Impressions
d’Italie by Charpentier, best known
for the opera "Louise". It
was written after he won the Prix de
Rome, and is in five movements depicting
different aspects of Italy, ending with
a noisy evocation of Naples. At nearly
13 minutes that is the longest piece
on the disc, and like the rest of the
Suite does tend to outstay its welcome.
I am glad to have heard it, but on a
second hearing my mind would keep wandering
away. My fault you may reasonably say.
It is indeed the job of the critic to
concentrate on the matter in hand, but
this is not a piece in which I could
summon any great interest. You may well
find that you enjoy it more, and it
is certainly written and scored with
great craftsmanship. It was recorded
under the composer’s direction in a
version I have not heard but which is
available from Dutton. There are few
if any other rivals and you may well
want to take the opportunity to hear
what else the composer of "Louise"
wrote.
For a combination of
good craftsmanship with real inspiration
one has to go no further than the last
piece - the Suite Algérienne
by Saint-Saëns. Only the last
movement – the Marche Militaire Française
– is well known but the whole Suite
is irresistible, each movement evoking
a vivid picture economically and effectively.
It is the shortest piece here but also,
not entirely by coincidence, the best,
and like all three pieces is played
idiomatically and well recorded. If
you are especially fond of French music
of this period you might well feel that
the Charpentier would be of much greater
interest to you than it was to me. For
others there is a more muted recommendation,
although personally I would think the
disc worthwhile for the Suite Algérienne
alone.
John Sheppard
see also review
by Dominy Clements
for details
Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice/Marco
Guidarini 
TALENT
DOM 2929 106 [77:46] 
