Here at CD HotList we’re always happy to support a local artist when we can, and this magnificent new recording of orchestral works by Camille Saint-Saëns (the first in a projected three-volume series) offers a great opportunity to do just that. Playing under the baton of Thierry Fischer, the Utah Symphony has become one of the most impressive American orchestras on the scene in recent years, especially for one located in a second-tier city. Utah’s Wasatch Front offers an unusually deep pool of musical talent, and this orchestra has profitably drawn on that population for decades now, with consistently impressive results. The group’s interpretations of these three works (the Trois tableaux symphoniques d’après la foi and Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila, in addition to the title piece) are consistently impressive, its tone both rich and balanced and its phrasing suitably Romantic without being overweeningly dramatic. When the series is complete, it will mark the first time an American orchestra has recorded all five of Saint-Saëns’ symphonies, so libraries should be on the watch for all of the installments as they emerge. Highly recommended to all libraries.