Dolby Atmos George Enescu: Orchestre National de France & Cristian Măcela "Symphonies Nos. 1–3; 2 Romanian Rhapsodies" [Dolby Atmos, 5.1, 4

Blizznow · Nov 10, 2025

George Enescu: Orchestre National de France & Cristian Măcela "Symphonies Nos. 1–3; 2 Romanian Rhapsodies"
Dolby Atmos Music

In 2022 I wrote a glowing review of these same forces performing the symphonies of Saint-Saëns (Warner Classics). The same partnership now appears on this DG with Enescu’s three published symphonies. As Mǎcelaru points out in his thoughtful introductory note, France became Enescu’s adopted home country, and his music often speaks with Gallic structures, harmonies, and colors. How appropriate, then, to have a Rumanian conductor leading a French orchestra in this repertoire.

Enescu’s first symphony is an appealing mix of influences. His thematic treatment at times reminds one of Brahms, while the sheer weight of the sound might reflect Wagner. But its three-movement construction (and thematic treatment) also connects this music to Franck and Dukas. There are earlier performances of these works that allow the music to seem episodic, more tone poem than symphony, but a strength of these new performances is Mǎcelaru’s tempos, which always seem spot on. He is also excellent at ensuring Enescu’s more heroic music (such as the opening closing of the first movement) are noble and powerful without ever becoming bombastic.

The slow movement is richly languorous, its harmonies and orchestration sometimes Ravelian, though more often the music’s modality and exoticism reminded me of Florent Schmitt. The Rondo is brilliantly played, and masterfully shaped. In my review of their Saint-Saëns, I suggested there were times when the music making was too careful, as if conductor and orchestra were still becoming accustomed to one another; here I sense a true partnership in which the orchestra fully understands and believes in Mǎcelaru’s interpretation.

Yehudi Menuhin described the second symphony as a masterpiece, and this performance certainly backs up that description. Its opening burst of energy is positively Straussian (Ein Heldenleben specifically), leading into a movement of strong contrasts between music of athletic bio and gentler, more sensuous music, which bring gorgeous playing from the first chair woodwinds. Strings are wonderfully agile, and every orchestra color glistens. The second movement is particularly sumptuous, Mǎcelaru giving the opening clarinet solo plenty of room to shape phrases. The last movement opens with a slow, morose march (reminiscent of Britten’s “War Requiem”), followed by an Allegro Vivace in which themes are transformed with shifting changes in timbre. The opening’s uncertainty is eventually overcome with a heroic, joyful Straussian coda.

The third symphony, written for a huge orchestra with a substantial percussion section, can take on an opaque texture (as sometimes happens in Rozhdestvensky’s Chandos recording). That is never the case here. Although the first movement follows the outlines of Sonata form, the structure seems more overtly emotional, moments of struggle and angst interrupted by calmer, sweeter interludes. Mǎcelaru keeps it moving, and ensures its sprawling shape has a sense of organic inevitability.

The second movement is not slow as expected; instead, Enescu writes a demonic scherzo, surely reflecting the time of its composition (May 1916, just before Romania entered the First World War, to August 1918). This music of terrible rage and brutality, terrifically realized in this performance, the brass really snarling. The final movement, marked Lento, has far more lyricism as it struggles from a forlorn emptiness to something more hopeful. The refined colors and wordless chorus recall Debussy, which plays to the strengths of this orchestra. Again, the kaleidoscopic shifting of colors is beautifully realized and balanced by orchestra and conductor. Mǎcelaru and his players fully reveal the music’s desperate search for faith and resilience in a time when such ideals were in short supply.

The two Romanian Rhapsodies are wonderfully played. The first is Enescu’s best known work, and Mǎcelaru and his French players clearly tap into the 19-year-old composer’s love of country. I first learned these works through Neeme Jarvi’s more rambunctious readings with the Royal Scottish Symphony Orchestra, but Mǎcelaru strikes an ideal balance between energy and refinement in the first rhapsody, tapping into the deeper emotions of the more reflective second.

DG’s recordings, made in the Auditorium de Radio France in September 2022, and June and July 2023 are very fine, the clarity almost clinical at times. A little more room ambiance might have warmed the overall orchestral sound. Nevertheless, such transparency allows us to hear the inner workings of even the densest passages of the symphonies. Măcelaru’s thoughtful introduction and Rob Cowen’s brief but informative notes seal the deal on a set that is perhaps the finest of those works available.
Click to expand...

Track listing

2 Romanian Rhapsodies, Op. 11
By George Enescu, Orchestre National de France & Cristian Măcelaru
1. "No. 1 in A Major" [23:34]
2. "No. 2 in D Major" [11:53]

Symphony No. 1 in E-Flat Major, Op. 13
By George Enescu, Orchestre National de France & Cristian Măcelaru
3. "I. Assez vif et rythmé" [11:36]
4. "II. Lent" [11:16]
5. "III. Vif et vigoureux" [9:11]

Symphony No. 2 in A Major, Op. 17
By George Enescu, Orchestre National de France & Cristian Măcelaru
6. "I. Vivace, ma non troppo" [20:23]
7. "II. Andante giusto" [14:50]
8. "IIIa. Un poco lento, marziale" [4:44]
9. "IIIb. Allegro vivace, marziale" [16:03]

Symphony No. 3 in C Major, Op. 21
By George Enescu, Orchestre National de France & Cristian Măcelaru
10. "I. Moderato, un poco maestoso" [18:55]
11. "II. Vivace, ma non troppo" [13:32]

By George Enescu, Choeur de Radio France, Orchestre National de France & Cristian Măcelaru
12. "III. Lento, ma non troppo" [18:09]

Total length: 162:13
Click to expand...

Info

Format : E-AC-3 JOC
Format/Info : Enhanced AC-3 with Joint Object Coding
Commercial name : Dolby Digital Plus with Dolby Atmos
Codec ID : ec-3
Duration : 11 min 53 s
Duration_LastFrame : -21 ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 768 kb/s
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel layout : L R C LFE Ls Rs
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Title : Core Media Audio
Service kind : Complete Main
Complexity index : 16
Number of dynamic objects : 15
Bed channel count : 1 channel
Bed channel configuration : LFE
Dialog Normalization : -24 dB
compr : -0.28 dB
dmixmod : Lo/Ro
ltrtcmixlev : -3.0 dB
ltrtsurmixlev : -3.0 dB
lorocmixlev : -3.0 dB
lorosurmixlev : -3.0 dB
dialnorm_Average : -24 dB
dialnorm_Minimum : -24 dB
dialnorm_Maximum : -24 dB
Click to expand...

Hidden Content:

You must reply before you can see the hidden data contained here.

0dayuser · Aug 3, 2024

Thanks

0dayuser · Aug 3, 2024

please put it in 1 archive next time.

Schlong · Aug 6, 2024

thanks

moszter · Aug 7, 2024

Thank you very much

NoDoze · Sep 5, 2024

Thank you! Always appreciate classical music.

hitchahike · Sep 5, 2024

Thanks

altec3 · Sep 10, 2024

thanks

netlex · Sep 11, 2024

thanks

catskills · Oct 6, 2024

thanks

chibboi · Nov 1, 2024

danke

Henk Bouwman · Nov 29, 2024

thanks

PHL · Dec 10, 2024

Thanks

dk_ · Feb 17, 2025

thanks

Dulac · May 17, 2026

merci

Log in or Sign up

Dolby Atmos George Enescu: Orchestre National de France & Cristian Măcela "Symphonies Nos. 1–3; 2 Romanian Rhapsodies" [Dolby Atmos, 5.1, 4

Blizznow Well-Known Member Uploader

George Michael - The Faith Tour (Live in Paris, 1988) [Apple Digital Master|256kbps/44.1kHz]

George Michael "Symphonica (Live)" [Dolby Atmos, 5.1, 48.0 kHz, 768 kb/s]

George Michael - Careless Whisper (40th Anniversary EP) [Dolby Atmos | E-AC3 JOC | 16-bit 48 kHz | 5.1 | 768 kb/s]

George Harrison "All Things Must Pass (50th Anniversary)" [Dolby Atmos, 5.1, 48.0 kHz, 768 kb/s]

George Michael - Older + Upper [E-AC3 JOC | 16-bit 48 kHz | 5.1 | 768 kb/s]

0dayuser Member

0dayuser Member

Schlong New Member

moszter Well-Known Member

NoDoze New Member

hitchahike Member

altec3 Member

netlex Member

catskills Member

chibboi Member

Henk Bouwman Well-Known Member

PHL Well-Known Member

dk_ Member

Dulac New Member