Constellations

Barber, Samuel, Ravel, Maurice, różni kompozytorzy, Shostakovich, Dmitry

Ensemble Ouranos

Alpha 1183

Founded ten years ago, Ensemble Ouranos is now one of the best French wind quintets in the world. For this new recording, their first for Alpha Classics, Mathilde, Arnaud, Amaury, Philibert, Rafael and Nicolas have brought together composers and works that are particularly close to their hearts: Le Tombeau de Couperin glorifies the French wind school, and Shostakovich is their passion, so recording this transcription (by David Walter) of the famous quartet for the first time was at the top of their wish list. The two works have one thing in common: homage, since Ravel composed in tribute to his friends who died in the war, and Shostakovich to the victims of the Second World War. Another tribute – a lighter one – is paid to summer with Barber's superb Summer Music, the only original piece for wind quintet on this album. Added to this are Ravel's famous Pavane and an arrangement by Nicolas Ramez of the poignant Elegy from Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk..

Works:

•Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin
• Barber: Summer Music, Op. 31
• Szostakovicz: String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110 (Arr. for Wind Ensemble by David Walter)
• Szostakovicz: Elégie. Adagio (From Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Op. 29, Act I Scene 3) [Arr. for Wind Ensemble by Nicolas Ramez]

CD x 1

Alpha

30.01.2026

3701624511831