Jean Martinon - The Complete Recordings with Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Description

The renowned French conductor Jean Martinon (1910-76) succeeded the legendary Fritz Reiner at the helm of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1963. According to one critic, during his five-year tenure, "there is no question that he maintained the orchestra s exalted performances standards, if not improving upon them." In that time, he made nine critically lauded recordings for RCA Victor, now re-issued for the first time ever together in a single SONY Classical box set of 10 re-mastered CDs. The repertoire, revealing Martinon s preference for contemporary music, includes works by Roussel, Ravel, Varese, Bartók, Nielsen, Hindemith and others, alongside 19th c. masterpieces by such as Bizet, Massenet, Lalo and Mendelssohn. Also a fine composer, Martinon s Symphony No. 4, op. 53, "Altitudes" is featured on Disc 5. A worthy bonus recording in this set is pianist and composer Jean Casadesus playing his own Piano Concerto with Martinon conducting the French Nat l Radio Orchestra from 1969. The discs are presented in their original LP facsimile artwork, with some recordings newly re-mastered from the original source tapes, and all coming from the best possible sound source. The booklet offers vintage photographs, a complete discography, plus a new essay.