The Romanian conductor Constantin Silvestri (1913-1969) began his distinguished career in 1930 with the Bucharest Radio Symphony Orchestra, leading to the directorship of the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra in 1945. In 1956 Silvestri moved to Paris and a year later he made his UK debut with the London Philharmonic. This led to a major contract with EMI, under which he conducted the Philharmonia, the Paris Conservatoire and the Vienna Philharmonic orchestras in a wide selection of repertoire including Bartók, Debussy, Dvořák, Elgar, Franck, Hindemith, Liszt, Ravel, Shostakovich, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky.

At the same time Silvestri enjoyed great success as a guest conductor in Europe and the US. In 1961 he conducted the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and became principal conductor in 1962, raising that ensemble to the highest international status. He became a British citizen in 1967 and died in Bournemouth in 1969. His interpretations were vividly imaginative, driven by a white-hot temperament and deeply poetic artistry.

These ‘Spanish’-themed recordings are rarities and belonged to Silvestri’s private collection, only discovered after his death.

Silvestri’s live performances of Debussy’s Ibéria, Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain (Noches en los jardines de España) and The Three Cornered Hat (Le Tricorne) are new additions to his large discography, either commercial recordings or live broadcasts.

The wide-ranging recording captures Silvestri’s hugely dynamic, colourful and expressive conducting of these popular Spanish-influenced works.

Sylvie Mercier (born Paris 1934 and related to the Cointreau family) was a first prize winner at the Paris Conservatoire (1954) and studied with Marcel Ciampi, Wilhelm Kempff and the conductor Ataúlfo Argenta. She played with Silvestri in Paris in 1960, and undertook extensive tours, notably of Eastern Europe, between 1960 and 1983. In 1980, Mercier became a professional photographer.

Dedicated remastering by Paul Baily.

Booklet notes by Jon Tolansky, with many personal insights from players who had performed with Silvestri.

Recorded 1966-68