Debussy:  Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien; Six Épigraphes antiques; Khamma; La Boîte à joujoux


Debussy: Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien; Six Épigraphes antiques; Khamma; La Boîte à joujoux
Ernest Ansermet
Label
Decca
Catalogue No.
4800130
Barcode
00028948001309
Format
2-CD
About

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 its 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 its first release on CD – significant, given the conductor recorded it only once.

TRACK LISTING / ARTISTS

CLAUDE DEBUSSY
Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien
Six Épigraphes antiques
Khamma
La Boîte à joujoux
Marche écossaise*
Danse (Tarantelle styrienne) (orch. Ravel)

*FIRST RELEASE ON CD

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