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Roussel: Bacchus Et Ariane on CD

Roussel: Bacchus et Ariane, Le festin de l'araignee / Albert Roussel (Artist) Jean Martinon, ORTF Orchestra, The ORTF plays well enough for Martinon's powerfully cogent and persuasive way with the score to make it's full effect (Note: Suites 1 & 2 take in the complete ballet). A pupil of Roussel, Martinon understands this music as well as anyone ever has. The performance is excellent and works it's way up to a thrilling conclusion. The real treat is Aeneas, one of Roussel's last pieces-as sinewy and exhilarating a score as he ever penned. The ballet tells the story of the trials and tribulation of Aeneas following the Trojan War, including his love affair with Dido and concluding triumphantly with the founding of Rome. The acerbic harmonic idiom and the fact that Roussel didn't live to produce a suite probably accounts for the work's relative lack of exposure, but it's a terrific piece nonetheless, make no mistake.