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Lalo considered himself to be first and foremost an opera composer, even though Le Roi d'Ys was his only opera to be performed in his lifetime. He is now best known for his symphonic and chamber music, largely because of the highly political musical establishment in France in his time. The Overture to the opera (which opens this album) is now the best-known music from the piece, which proved a considerable success in France. His ballet Namouna was commissioned by the Paris Opéra and, remarkably, was completed in just four months following extensive delays in agreeing the subject - part of the tales of Casanova. After a successful run of fifteen performances, Lalo parcelled the music up into three 'rhapsodies' for orchestral performance. The first two of these were published as Suites Nos 1 and 2. The third was not published, but the 'Valse de le Cigarette' was later issued separately. Lalo's only surviving Symphony was completed in 1886, but somewhat overshadowed by Saint-Saëns's Organ Symphony (1886) and Franck's Symphony in D minor (1888), but it is a strong work that showcases Lalo's melodic gift and forward-looking harmonic palette. Album Tracks 1. Overture to Le Roi d'Ys 2. Namouna, ballet~Valse de la cigarette 3. Suite No. 1 from Namouna~1. Prélude. À L.P. de Fourcaud. Andante 4. Suite No. 1 from Namouna~2. Sérénade. À F. de Sarasate. Allegro - Sans presser 5. Suite No. 1 from Namouna~3. Thême varié. À C. Saint-Saëns. Andante 6. Suite No. 1 from Namouna~4a. Parades de foire. À Hans de Bülow. Allegro vivace - Plus lent - Andantino - Allegretto quasi Andantino - Allegro - 7. Suite No. 1 from Namouna~4b. Fête foraine. À Hans de Bülow. Presto - Danse 8. Suite No. 2 from Namouna~1. Danses marocaines. Vivace - Un peu cédé - Plus vite 9. Suite No. 2 from Namouna~2. Mazurka. Lent - Vite - Lent. Tempo I - Vite - Pressez 10. Suite No. 2 from Namoun
