THÉODORE GOUVY (1819-1898): Sinfonietta, Fantaisie pastorale for Violin and Orchestra (Tedi Papavrami [violin]), La Religieuse for Mezzo-Soprano and Orchestra (Clémentine Margaine [mezzo]) (Orchestre philharmonique royal de Liège; Christian Arming), Concert Overtures Le Giaour, Jeanne d'Arc, Op. 13 and Le Festival, Op. 14 (Orchestre national de Lorraine; Jacques Mercier), String Quartets in A Minor, Op. 56/2 (Quatuor Cambini-Paris) and No. 5 in C Minor (Quatuor Parisii), Op. 68, Piano Trio No. 4 in G, Op. 22 (Trio Arcadis), Sérénades for Piano Nos. 2, 5, 11, 14, 15 & 17 (Emmnauelle Swiercz [piano]).

Description: Volume One in a new series sponsored by the Palazetto Bru Zane "Centre de Musique Romantique Française", this Gouvy bonanza is in the same bound-book, multiple article (four in this case plus a list of interesting excerpts from Gouvy's letters) format as their "Prix de Rome" releases. And, unlike the German notes to the cpo Gouvy symphony series, Mendelssohn is mentioned here first and often - as it seemed obvious to me the first time I heard one of his symphonies ("The French Mendelssohn" is the title of one of the articles). Although the Sinfonietta and the piano trio already exist on CD, the rest of these three discs contain what are likely first recordings. 3 CDs.