Philharmonia Orchestra

Although Rubinstein did not play many works by Rachmaninov, he made four recordings of the Piano Concerto No. 2. If, in this May 1946 recording, Rubinstein’s adherence to the text is not always completely accurate, his performance is full of exhilaration and panache with fast tempos and a climax judged to have any audience jumping to its feet. The 1947 recording of the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is remarkable, even today, for the high quality of the sound, described as “Stunning! The recording is almost too vivid”, by a critic in 1948. The only solo work of Rachmaninov that Rubinstein committed to disc was the famous Prelude in C sharp minor Op. 3 No. 2 which he recorded twice.

Giovanni Simone Mayr was born in Mendorf, a small village not far from Ingolstadt in Bavaria, on 14 June 1763. Ever ambitious to study in Italy, he travelled to Bergamo and on to Venice. He is particularly remembered for Medea in Corinto (Naples, 1813), but many of his works enjoyed great success and were widely heard in their day. In 1803 he was appointed maestro di cappella of S. Maria Maggiore, the great Romanesque basilica of Bergamo, a position which gave him a home-base and a stability enjoyed by few composers at the time. It was in Bergamo that he also became famous as a teacher, founding in 1806 his celebrated lezioni caritatevoli or ‘charitable lessons’, which were designed to train the sons of indigent parents as choirboys. His most famous pupil was Gaetano Donizetti. He was one of several composers credited with the invention of the so-called Rossinian crescendo. He is also believed to have been the first to introduce the harp and the cor anglais among the instruments of the Italian operatic orchestra. Believing that ‘the simplest means are always the best’, he concentrated on purity of melody, and on choosing instruments, especially solo instruments, for their timbre and colour. Consequently one has to listen ‘inwardly’ to his music: to harmonies, to instrumental colours and textures, to the unfolding of melodies, to the expression of words and emotions. As Louis Spohr remarked, Mayr has, ‘if not so much imagination as Rossini, yet, certainly, more knowledge and aesthetic feeling’.

The introduction in English, French, Italian and German and accompanying booklet notes are by Jeremy Commons.

In recent years there has been increased interest in the works of Ambroise Thomas, particularly in his ambitious setting of Hamlet (1868), which has been revived with success at London’s Covent Garden, the New York Met, Barcelona, Paris and elsewhere. His other major success was Mignon (1866), which had more than 1,200 performances at the Opéra-Comique up to the end of the 19th century. Opera Rara now takes a further important step in the rediscovery of this fascinating figure with a new recording of his 1855 opéra-comique La Cour de Célimène (Célimène’s Court). Set in 1750 in a château near Paris, the opera deals with a young widowed Countess who has no fewer than 14 suitors. The role was written for the legendary coloratura Marie Miolan-Carvalho, who also created roles in four of Gounod’s operas, notably Marguerite in Faust, Juliette in Roméo et Juliette and the title-role in Mireille. Here, the Countess is sung by Laura Claycomb, with Alastair Miles, Joan Rodgers and Sébastien Droy at her side. Given the large cast, it’s not surprising that the work’s ensembles have been picked out by scholars as highlights of a score that is sure to delight lovers of French opera.

The 2CD set comes with a lavishly illustrated book including libretto with an English translation. Richard Langham Smith gives a detailed account of the composer, the opera and its composition.

George Weldon was conductor of the CBSO until 1951. On this release he is heard conducting the LSO in performances of ‘In The South’ and ‘Sea Pictures’ made at Studio No.1 at Abbey Road in 1953. Conductor and orchestra are joined by contralto Gladys Ripley for the song cycle. The ‘Enigma Variations’ was recorded in 1954 at the Kingsway Hall and produced by Walter Legge