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Founded ten years ago, Ensemble Ouranos is now one of the best French wind quintets in the world. For this new recording, their first for Alpha Classics, Mathilde, Arnaud, Amaury, Philibert, Rafael and Nicolas have brought together composers and works that are particularly close to their hearts Le Tombeau de Couperin glorifies the French wind school, and Shostakovich is their passion, so recording this transcription (by David Walter) of the famous quartet for the first time was at the top of their wish list. The two works have one thing in common homage, since Ravel composed in tribute to his friends who died in the war, and Shostakovich to the victims of the Second World War. Another tribute - a lighter one - is paid to summer with Barber's superb Summer Music, the only original piece for wind quintet on this album. Added to this are Ravel's famous Pavane and an arrangement by Nicolas Ramez of the poignant Elegy from Lady MacBeth of Mtsensk Album Tracks 1. Tombeau de Couperin-I. Prélude 2. Tombeau de Couperin-II. Fugue 3. Tombeau de Couperin-V. Menuet 4. Tombeau de Couperin-IV. Rigaudon 5. Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte 6. Summer Music, Op. 31-I. Slow and Indolent 7. Summer Music, Op. 31-II. Lively, Still Faster 8. Summer Music, Op. 31-III. Faster 9. Summer Music, Op. 31-IV. Tempo Primo, Joyous and Flowing 10. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-I. Largo 11. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-II. Allegro Molto 12. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-III. Allegretto 13. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-IV. Largo 14. Quatuor No. 8 en Ut Mineur, Op. 110-V. Largo 15. Pieces (2) for String Quartet)-Elégie. Adagio
