JEAN MARTINON: MILESTONES OF A LEGENDARY CONDUCTOR (10 CDS)

– the most important French conductor of his generation worldwide
– 13 original albums from 1951 to 1961 + bonus tracks
– Works by Offenbach, Roussel, Prokofiev, Borodin, Ibert, Bizet, Martinon, Adam,
Lalo, Dvorak and many others

Jean Martinon is probably the most important French conductor of the generation between Pierre Monteux and Pierre Boulez. The conductor, born in Lyon in 1910, studied with Albert Roussel, Vincent d’Indy, Roger Desormière and Charles Munch
in Paris, all the while also making his mark as a composer. After the war Martinon
conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra, took over the Parisian Orchestre
Lamoureux in 1951 – and also the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, where
he was the understudy to Charles Munch – and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
from 1957 on. He was the first French conductor to be entrusted with a prestigious
position in Germany when he was appointed General Music Director in Düsseldorf in
1960. In 1963 the conductor conquered the US and took over the legendary
Chicago Symphony Orchestra from Fritz Reiner.

Martinon was particularly renowned as a specialist for the French repertoire of the
early 20th century. The present documentation of original albums from 1951 to 1961
identifies him as an interpreter dedicating himself to the works with charm, wit and
intelligence, all the while combining urgency with grace, warmth and emotion.

Quite a few of his recordings received high accolades and are still considered to be
milestones. Martinon also made exceptional recordings of the Russian repertoire,
his Prokofiev and Shostakovich recordings in particular are still held in high esteem.

CD 1
■ OFFENBACH Famous Overtures
(1960)
Jacques Offenbach (1819 – 1880)
1. Orphée aux enfers / Orpheus in the
Underworld 9‘30
2. La Grande Duchesse de Gérolstein /
6‘52
The Grand Duchess of Gérolstein
3. La belle Hélène / Helen of Troy 8‘19
4. Barbe-bleu / Bluebeard 3‘04
5. Le Mariage aux Lanternes / The
Marriage under the Lanterns 4‘52
London Philharmonic Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1951
■ Bonus
Hector Berlioz (1803 – 1869)
6. Overture: Le Carnaval romain 9‘21
7. Hungarian March (Damnation de
Faust) 4‘53
8. Overture: Le Corsaire 8‘14
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du
Conservatoire
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1958
Total Time 55‘08

CD 2
■ BORODIN / RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Symphony No. 2 /
Capriccio Espagnole & March from ‚Tsar
Saltan‘ (1959)
Alexander Borodin (1833 – 1887)
Symphony No. 2 in B Minor / h-Moll
1. I. Allegro 6‘44
2. II. Scherzo: Prestissimo. Allegretto
4‘41
3. III. Andante 7‘44
4. IV. Finale: Allegro 5‘54
Nikolai Rimsky Korsakoff (1844 – 1908)
Capriccio Espagnol op. 34
5. I. Alborada 1‘11
6. II. Variations / Variazioni 4‘25
7. III. Alborada 1‘11
8. IV. Scene and Gypsy Song / Scena e
canto gitano 4‘53
9. V. Fandango asturiano 3‘06
10. Tsar Saltan (March) 4‘48
London Philharmonic Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1958
■ BOIELDIEU The Caliph of Bagdad /
The White Lady (1953)
Francois-Adrien Boieldieu (1775 – 1834)
11. Le Calife de Bagdad 7‘53
12. La Dame Blanche 8‘20
London Philharmonic Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1951
Total Time 60‘51

CD 3
■ IBERT / SAINT-SAËNS / BIZET
Divertissiment / Jeux d’Enfants /
Le Rouet d’Omphale (1961)
Jacques Ibert (1890 – 1962)
Divertissement
1. Introduction 1‘08
2. Cortège 4‘51
3. Nocturne 2‘36
4. Valse 2‘53
5. Parade 1‘41
6. Finale: Allegro vivace 1‘41
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921)
7. Danse macabre Op. 40 6‘59
Georges Bizet (1838 – 1875)
Jeux d’enfants – Petite Suite d’orchestre
Op. 22
8. Marche (Trompette et tambour) 2‘07
9. Berceuse (La Poupée) 3‘05
10. Impromptu (La Toupie) 1‘03
11. Duo (Petit mari, petite femme) 3‘07
12. Galop (Le Bal) 1‘34
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921)
13. Le Rouet d’Omphale Op. 31 7‘51
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du
Conservatoire
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1958
Total Time 40‘38

CD 4
■ SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concerto No. 2
(1951)
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921)
Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor Op. 22 /
g-Moll
1. I. Andante sostenuto 10‘13
2. II. Allegro scherzando 5‘29
3. III. Presto 6‘26
Moura Lympany piano / Klavier The
London Philharmonic Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1951
■ DVOŘÁK Slavonic Dances Op. 46
(1960)
Antonín Dvořák (1841 – 1904) Slavonic
Dances Op. 46 / Slawische Tänze
4. Nr. 1 in C Minor: Presto / c-Moll 3‘30
5. Nr. 2 in E Minor: Allegretto
scherzando / e-Moll 5‘12
6. Nr. 3 in A Flat Major: Poco allegro /
As-Dur 4‘25
7. Nr. 4 in F Major: Tempo di minuetto /
F-Dur 6‘34
8. Nr. 5 in A Major: Allegro vivace / A-Dur
3‘00
9. Nr. 6 in D Major: Allegro scherzando /
D-Dur 5‘38
10. Nr. 7 C Minor: Allegro assai / c-Moll
3‘12
11. Nr. 8 G Minor: Presto / g-Moll 4‘16
Slavonic Dances Op. 72 / Slawische
Tänze
12. No. 7 in C Major: Allegro vivace 3‘07
■ Bonus Max Bruch (1838 – 1920)
13. Kol Nidrei Op. 47 Adagio ma non
troppo. Un poco animato 10‘29
Pierre Fournier cello / Cello Orchestre
des Concers Lamoureux, Paris
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1960
Total Time 71‘34

CD 5
■ PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5 (1959)
Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953)
Symphony No. 5 in B Flat Major Op.
100 / B-Dur
1. I. Andante 12‘00
2. II. Allegro marcato 7‘58
3. III. Adagio 11‘02
4. IV. Allegro giocoso 9‘46
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du
Conservatoire
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1957
■ Bonus
The Love for Three Oranges –
Symphonic Suite Op. 33a /
Die Liebe zu den drei Orangen
5. I. Les Ridicules 3‘17
6. II. Scène infernale: Le magicain
Tchélio e Fata Morgana 3‘29
jouent aux cartes
7. III. Marche 1‘41
8. IV. Scherzo 1‘26
9. V. Le Prince et la Princesse 4‘54
10. VI. La Fuite 2‘15
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1953
Total Time 57‘50

CD 6
■ PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 7 /
Russian Overture (1959)
Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953)
Symphony No. 7 in C Sharp Minor Op.
131 / cis-Moll
1. I. Moderato 9‘50
2. II. Allegretto 7‘30
3. III. Andante espressivo 5‘49
4. IV. Vivace 7‘41
5. Coda 0‘23
6. Russian Overture Op. 72 12‘55
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du
Conservatoire
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1957
■ Bonus
Manuel de Falla (1876 – 1946)
Noches en los Jardines de España /
Nights in the Gardens of Spain
7. I. En el generalife 10‘05
8. II. Danza lejana 4‘44
9. III. En los jardines de la Sierra de
Cordoba 8‘23
Eduardo del Pueyo piano / Klavier
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1955
Total Time 67‘21

CD 7
■ MEYERBEER – LAMBERT Les
Patineurs / MASSENET Le Cid (1958)
Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791 – 1864)
Les Patineurs – Ballet (orchstr. Lambert)
1. I. Entrée 3‘03
2. II. Pas seul 1‘13
3. III. Pas de deux 2‘46
4. IV. Ensemble 5‘16
5. V. Pas de trois 1‘19
6. VI. Duet 1‘19
7. VII. Pas de Patineurs 2‘21
8. VIII. Finale 3‘22
Jules Massenet (1842 – 1912)
Le Cid – Ballet
9. I. Castillane 2‘53
10. II. Andalouse 2‘39
11. III. Aragonaise 1‘44
12. IV. Aubade 1‘14
13. V. Catalane 3‘16
14. VI. Madrilène 3‘32
15. VII. Navarraise 2‘52
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1958
Total Time 38‘50

CD 8
■ LALO Symphonie espagnole (1955)
Edouard Lalo (1823 – 1891)
Symphonie espagnole for Violin and
Orchestra Op. 21
1. I. Allegro ma non troppo 8‘28
2. II. Scherzando: Allegro molto 4‘39
3. III. Intermezzo: Allegretto non troppo
6‘08
4. IV. Andante 7‘33
5. V. Rondo: Allegro 8‘40
David Oistrakh violin / Violine
Philharmonia Orchestra London
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1954
■ Bonus
Ohan Durian (1922 – 2011)
6. Pastorale No. 3 8‘32
7. Pastorale No. 4 7‘22
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen c. 1953
Total Time 51‘25

CD 9
■ ROUSSEL Modern French Orchestral
Music (1953)
Albert Roussel (1869 – 1937)
1. Le Festin de l’araignée Op. 17 17‘04
Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918)
2. Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune 9‘34
Paul Dukas (1865 – 1935)
3. L’apprenti sorcier 11‘50
Paul Dukas (1865 – 1935)
4. Pastorale d’été 7‘34
Gabriel Fauré (1845 – 1924)
5. Pavane Op. 50 5‘56
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux
conductor / Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1953
■ Bonus
Jean Martinon (1910 – 1976)
Sonatine No. 5 Op. 32, No. 1
6. I. Allegro expressivo 3‘48
7. II. Allegro. Adagio 2‘15
8. III. Finale: Allegro 2‘07
9. Epilogue pour un Conte d‘Amour 4‘10
Jean Fournier violin / Violine (6-8)
Ricardo Zugero piano / Klavier (9)
recorded / aufgenommen 1956 (6-8)
Total Time 64‘20

CD 10
■ ADAM Giselle Extraits (1960)
Adolphe-Charles Adam (1803 – 1856)
Giselle – Ballet
1. Introduction 0‘21
Act I
2. Entrée jouyeuse des vendangeurs et vendangeuses
0‘48
3. Loÿs est resté seul 3‘02
4. Retour des vendangeurs 2‘36
5. Pas de Deux 1‘27
6. La chasse 2‘12
7. Marche de Vignerons 1‘31
8. Galop général 1‘52
9. Scène finale 2‘23
Act II
10. Introduction 1‘31
11. Apparition et scène De Myrtha 2‘30
12. Apparition de Giselle 0‘21
13. Allegro moderato 0‘37
14. Entrée de Loÿs et Wilfrede 5‘21
15. Scène des Wilis 1‘29
16. Grand Pas de Deux 2‘00
17. Final 2‘40
London Philharmonic Orchestra conductor / Dirigent
Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1959
■ ROUSSEL Bacchus et Ariane Op. 43 (1955)
Albert Roussel (1869 – 1937)
Bacchus et Ariane – ballet en deux actes Op. 43
18. Suite No. 1 16‘32
19. Suite No. 2 18‘56
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux conductor /
Dirigent Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1954
■ Bonus
Adolphe-Charles Adam (1803 – 1856)
20. Si j’étais Roi 7‘37
London Philharmonic Orchestra conductor / Dirigent
Jean Martinon
recorded / aufgenommen 1951
Total Time 75‘48