JULES MASSENET (1842-1912): Ballet Music from Bacchus, Hérodiade, Thaïs and Le Cid.

Description: While it's possible that you may have heard the ballet music from three of these operas (even though it's usually cut in performances and recordings these days), you're not likely to have heard the 21 minutes from Bacchus, a late work from 1909 which failed after only six performances. Both Hérodiade and Thaïs have vaguely "exotic" moments here and there while Le Cid is a 22-minute sequence of Iberian dances. 78 minutes of beautifully orchestrated music at a ridiculously cheap price. Barcelona Symphony Orchestra; Patrick Gallois.