Offenbach: Gaîté parisienne, Strauss: Graduation Ball (Doráti/MSO, 1957) 24-Bit/96-kHz Vinyl Rip

Brilliant recording of favorite ballet scores by a conductor who commands an appropriately energetic approach. The sound here is exceptionally live, with remarkable definition of various instruments and real "bite" to the reproduction.
(Billboard, Jan 1958)

Gaîté Parisienne was commissioned in 1938 by Count Etienne de Beaumont for a ballet with choreography by Leonid Massin. Roger Desormiére, remembered today mostly as a conductor (he led a famous 1941 recording of Debussy's Pelléas and Mélisande), was commissioned to write the medley to be taken from works of Jacques Offenbach. However, Desormiére was too busy to take on the task so young Manuel Rosenthal was assigned the project. Already he had composed several successful operettas. He was but 34 at the time, and enthusiastically compiled a group of polkas, waltzes and mazurkas from scores by Offenbach, reorchestrating many of them, ending the ballet quietly with the "Barcarolle" from The Tales of Hoffman. Rosenthal even wrote one short section of his own for inclusion in the ballet (No. 14 "The Duel"). Gaîté Parisienne had its premiere in 1938 in Monte-Carlo and since has been a favorite both on the stage and in concert halls. Rosenthal went on to a rather extensive career as a conductor. He was for some years principal conductor of the French National Radio Orchestra and from 1948-1951 conducted the Seattle Symphony. In the mid-fifties he recorded many of the major works of Ravel (with whom he studied) and Debussy.
(R.E.B. - 1999)

"Graduation Ball" is a ballet, choreographed in 1940 in Australia by David Lichine during the 1939-1940 tour of the Original Ballet Russe. The single-act, light-hearted comic ballet was premiered on Friday, March 1st, 1940, in Sydney. The music is by Johann Strauss II, compiled and arranged by Antal Doráti.
(wikipedia)


Track Listing:

1. Offenbach - Gaîté parisienne
Performed by Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Antal Dorati

2. Strauss - Graduation Ball
Performed by Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Antal Dorati