Thibaudet showed that under all Saint-Saëns' incessant charm there were hints at the harmonies existing for no other reason than their colors. For all the concerto's showpiece vulgarities, it also has stunning qualities of floating on a new air, even bringing in hints of the Indonesian gamelan which was to have such an influence on Debussy. Thibaudet and Dutoit brought out the exoticism like no one before them.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 26, 2018 21:57 UTC