Gentle pleasure Dallying with Grétry, with Basil Ramsey ASV    CD DCA 1095

André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry enjoyed continuing success with fifty or so operas presented over 35 years in Paris, although he was Belgian by birth. His style was circumscribed by a lack of edge to his easy journeying, whereas both Haydn and Mozart as contemporaries had driving force.

Grétry had reasonable melodic facility which gave both good and indifferent results, and he was very plain and basic with harmony. Yet the final mix gave him success, and modern man may discover this easy-going music from 18th-century Paris a gentle pleasure to the ear [listen -- track 8, 0:00-0:56].

I have not previously chanced upon the Orchestre de Bretagne or their conductor Stefan Sanderling together on disc. They wring this music for every chance of something scintillating. Their success rate is good.

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