Saint-Saëns: Symphonies; Piano Concertos; Violin Concertos

Review by James Leonard [-] Many folks consider themselves done collecting Saint-Saëns' when they have copies of his Carnival of the Animals and Danse Macabre. Some folks consider themselves done when they have copies of his "Organ" Symphony, "Egyptian" Piano Concerto, and "Havanaise" for violin and orchestra. But there are a few folks who won't consider themselves done collecting the French late Romantic's music until they have all five of his symphonies, all five of his piano concertos, all three of his violin concertos, and all the single-movement works for string soloists and orchestra. For those truly dedicated folks, this six-CD box set wlll be considered essential. Because while there are more sonically stunning recordings of the "Organ" Symphony and more virtuosically staggering recordings of the "Egyptian" Concerto and the "Havanaise," there are no better recordings of the four earlier symphonies and few recordings as fine of the other piano and violin concertos. French conductor Jean Martinon's early-'70s recordings of the symphonies with the Orchestre National de l'ORTF are quite well played and recorded and wholly idiomatic. German violinist Ulf Hoelscher's 1977 recordings of the violin concertos with Pierre Dervaux and the New Philharmonia are reasonably well played and recorded and while less idiomatic, still quite appealing. And Italian pianist Gabriel Tacchino's undated recordings of the piano concertos with Louis de Froment and the Luxemburg Radio Orchestra are adequately well played and recorded and while far less idiomatic, nevertheless still more than acceptable. The catch, of course, is that there are so few recordings of Saint-Saëns' violin and piano concertos, much less of his early symphonies, that these recordings pretty much have the field to themselves. Thus, for those listeners who have to have all the Saint-Saëns there is to have, this set will be indispensable.