FRANÇOIS-ANDRÉ DANICAN PHILIDOR (1726-1795): Carmen Saeculare for Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra, Symphony No. 27 in G (overture to le maréchal ferrant), Overtures to Tom Jones and Le sorcier.

Description: While the three-movement "symphony" of almost 13 minutes and the two shorter overtures (recorded in Prague in 2005) may appeal to orchestral music collectors, the real find here is the 80-minute setting of multiple Horace texts (the actual Carmen saeculare only takes up the last 38) which has been sitting on the shelves since 1998. Written in London in 1788, it's in the current operatic/oratorio style, with occasional recitatives. 2 CDs. Texts available on-line or, if you're a Classics professor, in that OCT on the shelf behind you. Veronica Cangemi (soprano), Nora Gubisch (mezzo), Donald Litaker (tenor), Antonio Abete (bass), Swiss Radio Chorus, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana; Jean-Claude Malgoire (Carmen), Prague Chamber Orchestra; Christian Benda (overtures).