Philips Hi-Fi Stereo 835 027: An Orchestral Potpourri with Jean Fournet
Moussorgsky: Night on the Bare Mountain
Borodin: In the Steppes of Central Asia
Debussy: Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune
Dukas: L'apprenti sorcier
The Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
Jean Fournet, conductor
Pressing: Dutch, plum 2nd
Date first published: 1960?
Performance: 7/10
Sound: 7/10
Price range: $25-70, mean $35
Comments: A fine program of orchestral favorites with French conductor Jean Fournet (who passed away in 2008 at the age of 95) leading the Royal Concertgebouw. You don't hear a lot about Fournet these days, but he was a soft spoken and well respected maestro in his day and well known for his interpretations of the French symphonic repertoire. This album is a relatively rare early Philips stereo recording and was also released in the US on the Epic label. I have yet to find it reissued on digital. Though the performances aren't exactly definitive or especially memorable, they are certainly enjoyable and worth a listen. The sound quality has a tube flavor to it and is quite good, though a few points keep it from entering into the upper echelon of recordings. With a slightly more laid back presentation and decent dynamics, the recording lacked a bit of transparency and openness. I could also detect a loss of clarity in more dynamic passages. These are minor issues, though, and should not stop you from seeking this record if you're a fan of the music, the conductor, the orchestra, or the label.
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