Collection Prix de Rome, Volume 4

MAX D'OLLONE (1875-1959): Cantatas: Frédégonde for 2 Sopranos, Tenor and Orchestra (Jennifer Borghi, Chantal Santon [sopranos], Julien Dran [tenor]), Mélusine for Soprano, Tenor, Bass and Orchestra (Virginie Pochon [soprano], Frédéric Antoun [tenor], Jean Teitgen [bass]), Clarisse Harlowe for Tenor, Bass and Orchestra (Mathias Vidal [tenor], Joris Derder [bass]) Choruses: Sous-bois, L'Été, Pendant la tempête, Hymne, for Orchestra: Les Villes maudites, Sposalizio (orchestration of Liszt's piano piece from Années de pelerinage - Italie).

Description: D'Ollone, a Massenet student, didn't win the Prix until his third attempt which is why we have works here dating 1894-97 (two losing cantatas and the winner, etc.). The academic infighting and back-stabbing which kept him out the first two times is detailed in the newly even more luxurious presentation (Ediciones Singulares and Glossa are part of the same company but the former, brand-new label uses the oversized, bound-book format you've seen recently in their operatic releases. 2 CDs in 144-page bound book. French-English texts. Flemish Radio Choir, Brussels Philharmonic; Hervé Niquet.