Callirhoë is no mere ballet score but a ‘ballet symphonique’, a title perhaps inspired by Litolff’s earlier five concertos symphoniques. First produced in 1888, it was said to have received over 200 performances. There is a four-movement orchestral suite (Prélude, Pas des Écharpes, Scherzettino and Pas des Cymbales) but since its premiere it seems that the complete score has not been heard until this recording. The piano score of 1889 reveals a few short extra (and non-essential) passages not heard here, though whether added to the original score by the composer or cut by the conductor I am not sure: the music has been ‘researched and edited … from various original scores’ by the indefatigable Martin Yates.

It strikes me that, had Callirhoë had the imprimatur of a composer with a higher profile and larger corpus of regularly performed oeuvres (Tchaikovsky, say, or Dvořák), Chaminade’s score would surely have found its way on to disc decades ago and – who knows? – be a regular feature of international ballet. The music is certainly accomplished and appealing enough – think Moszkowski and Tchaikovsky with a dash of Edward German – even if the love story of the captive princess Callirhoë and Alcmaeon (too prolix to relate here but dutifully recounted in Lewis Foreman’s informative booklet) may stretch the audience’s willing suspension of disbelief to its limits. Of the 22 brief dances, some will recognise the above-mentioned Scarf Dance, a once-popular piano solo (Godowsky, for one, recorded it in 1926).

The Concertstück featured on another recording only a few months ago on Hyperion (Danny Driver with the BBC Scottish SO and Rebecca Miller – 3/17). To be frank, there is little to choose between them, Driver with marginally the crisper, lighter touch, Yates and Victor Sangiorgio recorded with slightly more resonance and depth. Both are admirable champions of this unjustly neglected crowd-pleaser but it is the rarity of Callirhoë and the quite superb advocacy of the BBC Concert Orchestra – few other bands play this kind of music quite as well – that are the real selling points of this notable release.