Philippe Gaubert (1879-1941) died of a stroke just a few days after the premiere of this splendid ballet, a grand work in the best French tradition of Daphnis et Chloé and the Ballets Russes. To the extent his work is known at all today, Gaubert’s reputation is based on his music featuring solo flute, but he was a skilled composer for the orchestra as well, as two seconds’ worth of this piece demonstrates very convincingly. The plot, such as it is, concerns a princess cursed with turning into a doe at night. Her curse will only be lifted when she meets someone who makes her suffer. Needless to say, she does just that, eventually.
There’s also a sub-plot involving a contest of knights vying for her attention, with plenty of jousting and combat providing a cue for some very effective ensembles and action music. Gaubert conjures up the work’s medieval, fairytale atmosphere very convincingly, scoring the work with typically French brilliance, clarity, and style. Only the late date (1940-41) seems to have prevented it from taking its rightful place among the great French symphonic ballets; but this excellent, beautifully played and recorded performance more than makes up for the years of neglect. If you’re looking for 73 minutes of pure enchantment, here it is. [8/4/2011]
