Meyerbeer: Overtures and Entr'actes from French Operas. NZSO. Naxos CD
These are generously presented (71 minutes), as well as the overture to Etude du Nord, and three orchestral excerpts from Dinorah - Le Pardon de Ploermel. The grand Coronation March from Act 4 of Le Prophete will be the most familiar to listeners' ears, but all 17 tracks (well played by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra under conductor Darrell Ang from Singapore) feature rousing brass and other brilliant orchestration.
Bridget Douglas is credited for a fine flute solo in one entr'acte, other woodwind contributions, and the bell effects in the ballet from Les Huguenots deserve commendation.
Highlight: Revival of ''hits'' now neglected.
Weinberg: Trumpet Concerto, Symphony No 18. Andrew Balio (trumpet), St Petersburg State Orchestra. Naxos CD
I was more impressed by his Trumpet Concerto, described by Shostakovich as a ''symphony trumpet and orchestra''. Naxos rightly describes it as ''ranging in effects from pointillist modernism to the grotesque and sardonic''. Ballo, as soloist, is outstanding in three movements, titled Etudes, Episodes and Fanfares.
The first is jazzy, reminiscent of Prokofiev, and the last contains entertaining quotes from earlier composers.
Vladimir Lande conducts this 2013 recording.
Highlight: Virtuoso trumpet display.
