Dutilleux / Rivalland / Orchestre National De - Henri Dutilleux: Symphony No 2 Le Double - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

A fiercely independent composer, Henri Dutilleux wrote music that is refined, colorful and scrupulously crafted. Symphony No 1, his first purely orchestral score, established his international reputation. Structurally unconventional- it opens, unusually, with a passacaglia- it illustrates his principle of 'progressive growth' through it's sustained lyricism and towering, chorale-like statements. Metaboles was inspired by the virtuosity of the woodwind section of George Szell's Cleveland Orchestra. Distinctive instrumentation for each movement allows for deep expression, jazzy rhythms and moments of irony. The enigmatic diptych Les Citations quotes from fellow composers Benjamin Britten and Jehan Alain. After over 40 years at the head of the Orchestre National de Lille (ONL), of which he was the founder, Jean-Claude Casadesus enjoys an international career that has brought seasons in Germany, Russia, Japan, Latvia, and in Lille. His 30 albums with the orchestra have won critical and public acclaim and as a guest conductor he has appeared in Moscow, Singapore, Montreal, Baltimore, Seoul, St. Petersburg and Berlin. He is an enthusiastic champion of contemporary music and set up residences for composers with the Lille orchestra.

Bjork was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, earning domestic fame as a musician from an early age. She first took the international music scene by storm with The Sugarcubes in 1988, and went on to four solo albums, InchDebut, Post, Homogenic,Inch and most recently, InchSelmaSongs,Inch her original soundtrack to the Lars von Trier filmInch Dancer in the Dark,Inch in which she also starred. She lives in New York.

Following acclaimed performances on tour in Japan and South Korea, Robin Ticciati and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin have recorded one of Rachmaninov's best-known works. In contrast with the disastrous reception of the First Symphony and the ensuing three-year compositional hiatus, the Second Symphony was a resounding success when it was premiered by the composer in 1908. It's thematic unity, archlike melodic lines, rich orchestral colours and expansive structure still inspire awe, particularly when performed by musicians of the DSO's calibre. The score is presented in it's original unabridged version which reveals Rachmaninov's regained confidence in his power to compose and his true symphonic achievement. This exhilarating performance marks Ticciati's sixth album with the DSO.