Ernest Ansermet (Great Conductors of the 20th Century)
One of the best of EMI's Great Conductors releases, this features the Swiss maestro performing the Modern, French, and Russian music in which he excelled. The first disc includes a terrific 1956 version of Stravinsky'sChant du Rossignol, brilliantly recorded, full of bold rhythms and atmospheric scene-painting, illustrating Ansermet's long experience as a ballet conductor. The Rimsky-KorsakovScheherazadethat follows it is the second of Ansermet's three recordings of the piece, from Decca's first 1954 Paris stereo sessions and still sounding good. Ansermet captures all its moods and colors, from the tension of the first movement to the flowing, languorous Orientalisms throughout. Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra is a well-judged, energetic interpretation. Rachmaninoff'sIsle of the Deadderives from the same sessions as theScheherazade, and captures its brooding quality with a rare transparency, another trait of Ansermet's conducting. His affinity for French music is heard in a lovely version of Debussy'sPrélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, a sparkling RavelLa Valse(which, like the Stravinsky, he premiered), and a scintillating "Fète Polonaise" from Chabrier'sLe Roi malgré lui. Most of the set's contents remain among the better versions of these works, so its appeal extends beyond the ranks of conductor collectors and Ansermet fans.--Dan Davis