Editorial Reviews

Listeners who come to this disc looking for the lush textures of Debussy and the lucid colors of Ravel will be disappointed. Likewise, listeners who come looking for the wit of Satie or warmth of tone of Poulenc will also be disappointed. But listeners who come looking for music that is dry but sweet, cool but colorful, witty but not ironic, and, above all, emotionally entertaining but not philosophically challenging, will be thoroughly satisfied and perhaps even delighted. This is not to downplay the indubitable charms of the orchestral music of Gabriel Pierné. Unlike the rest of his generation, Pierné was uninfluenced by the Impressionist adventurism of Debussy, uninfected by the Wagnerian heroism of Franck, and unaffected by the mysterious sarcasm of Satie. He went his own path...straight down the middle of the road with catchy rhythms, hummable tunes, and safe-as-milk harmonies. In this recording by Bramwell Tovey directing the Luxembourg Symphony Orchestra, Pierné's music sounds like lighter Ibert or less demonstrative Chabrier. "Impressions de music hall" is funny, frilly, and slightly silly. "Fantasie basque for violin and orchestra" is airy, evocative, and faintly demotic. "Izé˙l" is sensuous, seductive, and somewhat oriental and "Divertissements sur un théme pastoral" is amusing, diverting, and very lightly bucolic. The English conductor and the Luxembourg orchestra do a creditable job of making the music persuasive and Timpani's sound does an acceptable job of capturing the performances. James Leonard, All Music Guide

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