This volume of Debussy’s dramatic works and ballet music is dedicated, by and large, to ‘rarities’ by the composer. Few of Debussy’s works have divided critical opinion more than le Martyre de saint Sébastien, banned as it was by the archbishop of Paris six days before it’s premiere. The beautiful, rarefied six épigraphes antiques were orchestrated by Ernest Ansermet himself and both the Egyptian-based Khamma and la Boîte à Joujoux, a ballet based on the secret life of toys, are very rare indeed. Trifle though it might be, the Marche écossaise receives it’s first release on CD – significant, given the conductor recorded it only once.
Debussy: Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien
Debussy: 6 Epigraphes antiques
Debussy: Khamma
Debussy: La Boite A Joujoux
Debussy: Marche Écossaise
First Release on CD
Debussy: Danse – Tarantelle styrienne
orch. Ravel
Suzanne Danco (soprano), Nancy Waugh (contralto) & Marie-Lise de Montmollin (contralto)
Union Chorale de La Tour-de-Peilz & L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Ernest Ansermet