Search - Camille Saint-Saens, Ernest Chausson, Jules Massenet :: The French Album

Perlman Speaks French

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 04/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""The Perlman Edition" is a new CD series from EMI which collects many of the violinist's most celebrated recordings for the label. This title, "The French Album," is basically a straight reissue of an earlier EMI disc featuring Perlman's 1974 performances of Saint-Saens, Chausson and Ravel works for violin and orchestra with conductor Jean Martinon and the Orchestre de Paris. This latest release does differ slightly from its predecessor due to the inclusion of a 1995 digital recording of Massenet's "Meditation (from 'Thais')" with Lawrence Foster and the Abbey Road Ensemble. The accounts are all excellent with my personal favorite being Ravel's "Tzigane," though this very same recording also happens to be included on the EMI Debussy/Ravel Orchestral Works Box Set (see my review). While I don't see myself buying all of the "Perlman Edition" discs, it is certainly good to have them back in print, particularly this one."

Excellent French Violin Works

Keegan R. Lerch | Bethlehem, PA | 06/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is part of the Perlman Edition albums that have recently been remastered and reissued. I believe there are 15 CDs in total in the set, which can be purchased together in a Box-set. This particular album features French composers Camille Saint-Saens, Ernest Chausson, Jules Massenet, and Maurice Ravel. All of which are late Romantic - Modern composers.

All of these pieces were recorded in 1974 with the Orchestre de Paris, Jean Martinon, except for the Meditation, which was recorded digitally in 1995 with the Abbey Road Ensemble, Lawrence Foster. The sound quality and remastering is excellent on all of the tracks and the recording has an almost 'live' quality that is fresh. The Intro & Rondo cappriccioso is the first piece, and it shows Perlman at his strongest, playing ferociously and with a lot of energy. Chausson's Poeme is played beautifully and reverently. The Havanaise, Meditation, and Tzigane are all well performed and are a benchmark for other recordings.



If you are looking for an introduction to some Romantic or Modern violin works, this CD is perfect for you. Perlman is in splendid form, as are the orchestras."