Sorcerer's Apprentice - French Spectacular (1990)

01. Paul Dukas The Sorcerer's Apprentice
02. Camille Saint-Saens Danse Macabre, Op. 40
03. Saint-Saens 'Bacchanale'
04. Emmanuel Chabrier Espana (Spanish Rhapsody)
05. Maurice Ravel Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
06. Jacques Offenbach  Orpheus In The Underworld Overture

New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein – conductor

(CBS Masterworks – Great Performances 56)

I recently upgraded this collection of material from LP to CD; and I am still astounded by Mr. Bernstein's ability to unlock the flavor. He makes "light" classics seem profound in that he exudes enthusiasm to every French showpiece. You can tell that Bernstein loved the music and this feeling extends to every member of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra as every solo is played with tenderness and warmth, and every crescendo is unleashed as a burst of cosmic energy.

You really can't go wrong with a Bernstein recording from his earlier days with Columbia records.

The music itself is wonderful. My favorite is Saint-Seans "Sampson and Delilah" Overture, which has Biblical drama but also Hebrew/Middle Eastern exoticism. The "Danse Macrebe" by Saint-Seans is as vibrant, as the xylophone showcases the "dancing skeletons". Of the course, the "Orpheus in the Underworld" Overture by Offenbach rips things apart as Bernstein builds to un-leashing the can-can dance upon us. ---Joe Anthony "Joe Anthony" (Massachusetts, USA)

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