This release is puzzling. The Four Sea Interludes and La Mer point to a “water” program (not that we needed another one), while the remaining pieces seem to have been selected at random. The Britten is the best performance of the familiar works; it’s nicely detailed in “Dawn” and “Moonlight”, and it concludes with a very effective “Storm”. The Debussy works, though, particularly the absurdly slow Faun, are limp as wet noodles, and about as appealing. The most interesting work is Canadian composer Pierre Mercure’s Kaleidoscope (1948). Mercure studied in Paris, and the piece is totally French in sound and orchestral color, melodically distinctive, and not a note too long (just over 10 minutes). I’d like to hear more of Mercure, and it’s a pity that these forces didn’t devote the entire disc to him. Excellent sonics don’t matter; there’s just not enough meat on this musical carcass to warrant a firm recommendation. But watch out for Mercure. If there are more fine Canadian composers like him, then ATMA should give them some play.
