Salon music was chiefly music for the grand piano in the salon (or more frequently: the upright piano in the drawing-room) - whether it was arrangements of orchestral works, operas or operatic excerpts, or (as was quite frequently the case) original compositions. Like Rubinstein's MÃ©lodie or Toselli's Serenata, the Tango by Isaac AlbÃ©niz (1860-1909) was also composed for piano, as was the Paso doble El relicario by his countryman JosÃ© Padilla (1889-1960). In all these cases arrangements for other instruments or groups of instruments - arrangements made by the composer himself or by various different arrangers in the course of the decades - were the rule rather than the exception. The consequence of this variety is an astonishing colorfulness of instrumentation. In Leoncavallo's Brise de mer it is the cello that takes the leading role; in contrast, Robert Stolz let's the violin dominate in accordance with the title, whereas Heinrich Strecker's foxtrot Drunt' in der Labau from the operetta Der ewige Walzer ('The Eternal Waltz', first performed in 1928) presents itself in truly symphonic richness of sound, to name just a few examples. For the salon orchestra Schwanen, whose melodic line is characterized by violins and woodwind, special arrangements were made of Arditi's "Kiss Waltz" Il bacio, Riccardo Drrigo's Serenade Harlequin's Millions and Rudolf Sieczynski's declaration of love to his home city of Vienna.

Tracklist:

Drunt' In Der Lobau
Serenade No.1 'Kubelik-Serenade'
Tango
Brise De Mer
II Bacio
Sie Horen Paul Lincke - Potpourri: Berliner Luft/Es War Einmal/I
Serenata
Poeme
Spiel Auf Deiner Geige Das Lied Von Leid Und Lust
Mattinata
Wien, Du Stadt Meiner Traume
El Relicario
Die Millionen Des Harlekin - Serenade
Die Schlittschuhlaufer
Melodie in F

UPC: 636943475621
Label: Naxos
Release Date: 6.13.00
Format: CD

Schwanen Salon Orchestra - Salon Orchestra Favourites 1: Light Classics / Various (CD)