London CS 6208: Ansermet's Bizet album

London CS 6208
Bizet:
Symphony in C Major
Jeux D'Enfants
La Jolie Fille de Perth Suite
L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Ernest Ansermet, conductor

Pressing: Narrow band FFRR

Stampers: ZAL 5055-3L, ZAL 5056-2L

Date first published: 1961

Performance: 8/10

Sound: 8/10

Price range: $29-60, mean $40 on popsike

Comments: This is a delightful album of French music. The Symphony in C Major, composed by Bizet at the ripe age of 17, is positively uplifting and very much in the classical style. Jeux D'Enfants, a charming five movement suite, is considered by some to be Bizet's greatest work and very likely inspired subsequent "petite suites" by Debussy (Petite Suite) and Ravel (Ma Mere L'Oye). The last work on the album, the suite from Le Jolie Fille de Perth, represents the musical selections hand-picked from Bizet's opera, which unfortunately never really made into the mainstream opera canon. The sound of this narrow band FFRR is quite natural, with decent dynamic range and a sound stage that is deeper than wide. Unfortunately, I don't have the FFSS or wideband FFRR for comparison, but perhaps my compatriot Miles can comment on this if he owns one of them.

Moon and Gray in FFSS give this album an 8 for performance and 8 for sound, for a total score of 16 out of 20. I tend to agree.