Antoine Mariotte born 1875

[giles.enders]

Has there ever been a recording of Antoine Marriote's Salome ?  He was accused of plagerising Richard Strauss's Salome but in fact Mariotte wrote his first.

[Alan Howe]

Yes, Giles. Here it is:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mariotte-Salom%C3%83%C2%A9-Jean-Luc-Chaignaud/dp/B000HD1OAU/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1285752875&sr=1-2
There's a rather uncomplimentary review of the live performances here:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/SandH/2004/May-Aug04/Montpellier2004.htm
<<The connection with Strauss and the Mariotte opera Salomé was that Strauss' legal team sent a letter to the French composer warning of legal action if the opera was performed as Strauss claimed exclusive right to the Wilde play. He finally relented and the opera, composed almost simultaneously as the better-known version by Strauss, was finally produced in Lyon in 1908. Mariotte was a naval officer who abandoned his career for composition. From the experience of the concert version of his opera on July 21 at Montpellier's modern Salle Berlioz, he should have stuck with his original calling. His drama is also in one act, running about 90 minutes and, not including the fuss over religion, well focused on the four lead characters. The story was effectively framed and the orchestration was thick but one waited in vain for even a hint of creative inspiration or engaging melody. The program indicated the music was closer to Debussy than to Strauss but this listener detected little to stamp this as from the Impressionist School. It seemed to be generic, formula music-making that stormed and swooned to no effect. This opera makes minor French composers from the period, like Vincent d'Indy (one of the composer's teachers) seem, in comparison, like Mozart.
It was not for lack of effort that this fell flat. French mezzo Nora Gubisch in the title role gave a passionate, engaged performance which reinforced again her credentials as a major interpretive artist. Baritone Laurent Naouri sang strongly his Iokanaan and Swiss mezzo Julia Juon was a Hérodiade to be reckoned with. Friedmann Layer, Music Director of the Orchestre National de Montpellier, played the notes as well as could be expected. Many of the same cast will return next year when both the Strauss and Mariotte operas will be back to back in the regular season in Montpellier.>>

[Kriton]

I have it!

[Alan Howe]

What's your assessment of the piece?

[eschiss1]

(hrmph. d'Indy isn't up there with the very greatest, but can still be rather good and you have to know minor composers (not to mention bad ones) before the reviewer would even start to consider him as minor. but anyhow. sorry. ... minor point. go on...

[Kriton]

What's your assessment of the piece?

It has nothing to do with either Strauss or Debussy - as if it had to... It's pleasant, French turn-of-the-century music. Not the most memorable tunes, but if one's looking for that, I suggest they stick to a Rosenkavalier. Impressively orchestrated.

[giles.enders]

Thanks for the reference, I think Mariotte is as good as many of his contempories, if he wrote some songs they might be worth recording.