Search - Jacques Grimbert :: CAPLET / DEBUSSY / RAVEL: Prix De Rome Cantatas

Rarely performed gems!

05/02/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Usually, the trend for record labels is to continuously record only the popular and more well known works of famous composers, well this cd goes the opposite way. This cd focuses on early works by Caplet, Debussy and Ravel. Written soley for the purpose of winning the annual Prix de Rome scholarship contest, these pieces rarely get heard. . .due to lack of interest.I recently had the privilege of performing two of the Ravel pieces and just fell in love with the lushness of these early works. This prompted me to purchase the cd. To my ashtonishment, Ravel and Debussy both posses strong orchestral composing skills. Ravel's L' Aurore is a prime example of this. He brings to life the dawning of a new day in the first 10 bars! Ravel's gift for lush orchestration shines through here at the young age of 25! Too bad he never won the top prize in this contest! Which by the way he failed to win 5 times in a row! This was the subject of major scandel because Ravel was fast becoming a popular figure at the time of his attempts to win the contest, but the judges denied his compositions to be worthy of the Conservatory's acceptance. The public was outraged by this. The Debussy and Caplet pieces are very interesting! Debussy at an early takes advantage of parallel 5th's which bacame a signature in his later compositions.Conductor Grimbert's phrasing and over-all handling of both choir and orchestra are exquisit! get yours today!"