An American in Paris

John Nelson, who left us on April 3, was undoubtedly the greatest specialist of Berlioz’ vocal works. The monumental cycle he started at the baton of the Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg, including Les Troyens, La Damnation de Faust and Roméo et Juliette (to which can be added the former Benvenuto Cellini, Béatrice et Bénédict, Requiem and Te Deum recorded for with other orchestras) is an absolute discographic landmark. We will unfortunately never hear the missing parts whose recording was scheduled for later this year.

For more than thirty years, John Nelson had been a figurehead of Virgin Classics and Warner Classics/Erato, excelling not only in Berlioz but also in the Handel repertoire (The Messiah, L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato) or as a recital accompanist with Stephanie Blythe and Vivica Genaux. This homage collection also includes Mendelssohn and Mozart, recorded with the Ensemble orchestral de Paris which John Nelson has led for more than ten years.