Saint-Saëns - Kyung Wha Chung, Charles Dutoit – Danse Macabre · La Jeunesse D'Hercule · Le Rouet D'Omphale · Marche Héroique · Havanaise · Introduction de Rondo Capriccioso · Phaéton

Saint-Saëns – Danse Macabre · Orchestral Works
Camille Saint-Saëns
Performed by Kyung Wha Chung with orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit

A vibrant collection of orchestral showpieces and virtuosic works, this album highlights Saint-Saëns’ gift for colour, narrative, and elegant craftsmanship. Blending drama, wit, and technical brilliance, these pieces showcase the composer’s ability to create vivid musical imagery while maintaining clarity of form and style.

At the centre is the iconic Danse macabre, a playful yet eerie depiction of Death’s midnight dance, instantly recognisable for its skeletal rhythms and ghostly atmosphere. Tone poems such as Phaéton and Le Rouet d’Omphale bring mythological stories to life with sweeping orchestration and dynamic contrasts.

Kyung Wha Chung takes the spotlight in Introduction et Rondo capriccioso and Havanaise, delivering performances of precision and expressive flair. These violin works balance virtuosity with lyricism, offering moments of brilliance alongside more introspective passages.

La Jeunesse d’Hercule expands the scale with a more dramatic, symphonic narrative, while Marche héroïque provides a bold and ceremonial conclusion, full of grandeur and rhythmic drive.

Under Charles Dutoit’s direction, the orchestra brings out the full range of Saint-Saëns’ orchestral palette - crisp, colourful, and richly detailed throughout. A compelling collection that captures both the elegance and theatricality of French Romantic music.

Tracklist:

1. Danse macabre – 6:56
2. Phaéton – 8:56
3. Le Rouet d’Omphale – 7:42
4. Introduction et Rondo capriccioso – 9:05
5. Havanaise – 8:54
6. La Jeunesse d’Hercule – 16:55
7. Marche héroïque – 7:14