Dave's Faves No. 8 (Schmitt) 

Oh, the Psaume XLVII!!!! If you're alone at home, don't hesitate to hear this epic and coruscating piece at high volume. It's truly glorious music! I've heard other recordings of that piece, but they don't match the sheer excitement and biblical atmosphere that are conveyed in that EMI disc. One of my favorite choral works ever.

I found this recording as a vinyl in a second hand shop in Berlin way back in the late 90s. Was amazed from the first moment I listened to it. I have to take it out this evening. Thanks for this series!

Your vocal rendition sold me on the piece Dave, please never stop singing! 😂 👍

For proof of Schmitt’s genius as an orchestrator, listen to his two “Mirages” for piano, then hear his extraordinary orchestration of them.

Thank God these pieces are in the Martinon box! They are gorgeous, really big, big fun! The only one that can compete with Martinon is Thierry Fischer with BBC Orchestra of Wales, on Hyperion. Also worth listening are the two suite from Antonie et Cleopatre: there's a fine disc with JoAnn Falletta with the Buffalo Philharmonic, on Naxos. This video serie is more and more amazing. Thank you David!

Thank you, David! I vaguely knew Schmitt, but this piece is glorious in sound and inspiration. A lightening strike for him (with, perhaps, a nod to Debussy?). As far as character, well, as you indicate, such is a personal choice whether to make the man, or woman, intertwine with the artistry. There might be no more repugnant individual (sponging, rude, disloyal, viciously anti-Semitic, and just plain disagreeable) than Richard Wagner. And yet....

I first heard the Salome on an old (1950s?) Paul Paray/Detroit LP. I thought it was pretty cool. He also did the Psalm 47 too as I recall. I never heard the Martinon. Will check it out! Thank you!

Wonderful score - I've been enjoying it for decades. It's bad enough that orchestras don't play this in the regular seasons, but wouldn't it make something fun and interesting for summer festivals? But no - everyone wants endless Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Williams.

I think this music and recording was a blind buy for me back in 1981 when I was regularly ordering imported EMI pressings instead of crappy US Angel discs. And boy, was that a good idea for all the reasons you gave. The piece is delicious. There are sections that sound like they came right out the scores of some Universal monster movies; I wonder if Hans J. Salter knew about Schmitt’s music? Eventually I also got it on LP with de Almeida and CDs with Paray and Fischer. But now I have to pull out the Martinon and relive it once more. Maybe I'll watch Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man again, too.

I love the crash and bang in the final danses. Excellent recording as well. You are right, they are a bit trashy but tremendous fun. Funny, it would of not be out of place on your Earquake Disc.

It's in the Martinon Erato box that you did recently, isn't it?

Andrea Guiot sings Micaela in the Callas Carmen

Blimey, Dave! Love your accompaniment! Despite his awful character, I do rather like Schmitt’s music.

Great recommendations. I’ve long found it odd that the fascist and antisemitic Schmitt was good friends with Vaughan Williams who was anything but.

I tended to bypass Schmitt before, no time to listen I guess + word of his awful political views didn't help. However, so glad you highlighted this and your enthusiasm too. Thanks for opening my ears to yet another interesting and worthwhile listening discovery!

Dave, an interesting question What's your oldest record

Whither the Bach Cantata Schlep?

Did you hear about the new French flag? It's a white cross on a white background. I make joke. I'll be here all week.

It's a pity that this particular coupling is out-of-print as a single disc. Fortunately, there's Paray superb rendition of Salomé to compensate. Janowski is disappointingly dull, while Thierry Fischer, despite being more accomplished, still falls short of the first two conductors.