Jean Martinon - Bizet, Lalo: Symphonic Music (1992) CD-Rip

I went ahead and purchased the CD set because I have the LP which comprises the works on CD #2, and wanted to hear them with re-mastered sound, and was not disappointed. I'm not sure combining the Bizet works with the Lalo ones for a 2-CD set was the greatest idea; would have preferred to just get the one CD of the Lalo works. In any case, CD#2 stands out with superb engineering that DGG is known for. Unlike some of the old RCA and Columbia Records classical works on LP, the DGG performances are excellent for getting the dynamics as realistic as possible, and this is an excellent example of this. Lalo I believe was French but with Spanish ancestry, I presume that is why he was paired with Bizet. But I find their styles of composition are not alike. Lalo loves to use various tempos of 3, either waltz type tempos or 6/8, but what I find interesting is that his music can at times be very fiery, probably due to the Spanish influence. This is displayed in many of the pieces in CD#2, and I've not found another composer who does this so effectively. He also is a master of orchestral color, using castanets, cymbals, and other percussion perfectly. Jean Martinon's performances with the Orchestre de L'ORTF are just right, and although the recording was not originally digital, you'd be hard-pressed to say it was not. I did enjoy the Bizet Symphony in C on CD#1, it also demonstrates the excellent DGG recording quality, but haven't gotten to the other Bizet works just yet