Accents

Much of the charm of this album, designed to celebrate the individual “accents” of its five works, comes from the arrangements. Debussy’s “Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un faune”, for example, awakes and stretches not to the sound of strings and harp, but to a piano—and the effect is lovely. Italo-Brazilian conductor Simone Menezes’ Ensemble K is a multicultural orchestra, aiming to reconnect this music with its traditional roots. Borodin’s “Polovtsian Dances” has terrific energy, Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” is wonderfully vital and Villa-Lobos’ ever-lovely “Chôros No. 5” is rich in colours. French composer Sophie Lacaze’s “Histoire sans paroles” is a potent exploration in sound of Aboriginal culture.