JEAN FRANÇAIX (1912-1997): Symphony for Strings, 6 Préludes, Serenade B-E-A, 15 Portraits d'Enfants.

Description: This full helping of rare Françaix consists of music for small string ensembles (string quartet and quintet originally but performed with a slightly larger ensemble for this recording). Ranging in date from 1948 to 1963 (although no date is given for the utterly delightful Portraits), here is another anti-depressant or, as French music historian André Cœuroy describes Françaix's music, "It runs, dances, plays, gives pleasure. Joy at last. Open, healthy, never crude, no insipidness, spontaneity without jazz, lineally descended from Chabrier, 'unsentimental sentiment' and 'unpoetical' poetry". Toulouse National Chamber Orchestra; Alain Moglia. Original 1994 release.