Berlioz: Vocal Works

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Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Francis Poulenc, Claude Debussy, Hector Berlioz, Maurice Ravel

Label: Decca

Magazine Review Date: 11/1988

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 68

Mastering:

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Catalogue Number: 417 813-2DH

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
(Les) Nuits d'été	Hector Berlioz, Composer Ernest Ansermet, Conductor Hector Berlioz, Composer Régine Crespin, Soprano Suisse Romande Orchestra
Shéhérazade	Maurice Ravel, Composer Ernest Ansermet, Conductor Maurice Ravel, Composer Régine Crespin, Soprano Suisse Romande Orchestra
(3) Chansons de Bilitis	Claude Debussy, Composer Claude Debussy, Composer John Wustman, Piano Régine Crespin, Soprano
Banalités, Movement: No. 1, Chanson d'Orkenise	Francis Poulenc, Composer Francis Poulenc, Composer John Wustman, Piano Régine Crespin, Soprano
Banalités, Movement: No. 2, Hôtel	Francis Poulenc, Composer Francis Poulenc, Composer John Wustman, Piano Régine Crespin, Soprano
(La) Courte paille, Movement: La reine de coeur	Francis Poulenc, Composer Francis Poulenc, Composer John Wustman, Piano Régine Crespin, Soprano
(La) Courte paille, Movement: Le carafon	Francis Poulenc, Composer Francis Poulenc, Composer John Wustman, Piano Régine Crespin, Soprano
Chansons villageoises, Movement: Les gars qui vont à la fête	Francis Poulenc, Composer Francis Poulenc, Composer John Wustman, Piano Régine Crespin, Soprano
(2) Poèmes de Louis Aragon	Francis Poulenc, Composer Francis Poulenc, Composer John Wustman, Piano Régine Crespin, Soprano

Composer or Director: Hector Berlioz

Label: Studio

Magazine Review Date: 11/1988

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 78

Mastering:

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Catalogue Number: 769544-2

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
(Les) Nuits d'été	Hector Berlioz, Composer Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano John Barbirolli, Conductor New Philharmonia Orchestra
(La) Mort de Cléopâtre, '(The) Death of Cleopa	Hector Berlioz, Composer Alexander Gibson, Conductor Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano London Symphony Orchestra
(Les) Troyens, '(The) Trojans', Movement: Je vais mourir	Hector Berlioz, Composer Alexander Gibson, Conductor Ambrosian Opera Chorus Bernadette Greevy, Mezzo soprano Gwynne Howell, Bass Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano Keith Erwen, Tenor London Symphony Orchestra
(Les) Troyens, '(The) Trojans', Movement: Adieu, fière cité	Hector Berlioz, Composer Alexander Gibson, Conductor Ambrosian Opera Chorus Bernadette Greevy, Mezzo soprano Gwynne Howell, Bass Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano Keith Erwen, Tenor London Symphony Orchestra
(Les) Troyens, '(The) Trojans', Movement: Dieux de l'oubli	Hector Berlioz, Composer Alexander Gibson, Conductor Ambrosian Opera Chorus Bernadette Greevy, Mezzo soprano Gwynne Howell, Bass Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano Keith Erwen, Tenor London Symphony Orchestra

Composer or Director: Hector Berlioz

Label: Studio

Magazine Review Date: 11/1988

Media Format: Cassette

Media Runtime: 0

Mastering:

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Catalogue Number: EG769544-4

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
(Les) Nuits d'été	Hector Berlioz, Composer Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano John Barbirolli, Conductor New Philharmonia Orchestra
(La) Mort de Cléopâtre, '(The) Death of Cleopa	Hector Berlioz, Composer Alexander Gibson, Conductor Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano London Symphony Orchestra
(Les) Troyens, '(The) Trojans', Movement: Je vais mourir	Hector Berlioz, Composer Alexander Gibson, Conductor Ambrosian Opera Chorus Bernadette Greevy, Mezzo soprano Gwynne Howell, Bass Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano Keith Erwen, Tenor London Symphony Orchestra
(Les) Troyens, '(The) Trojans', Movement: Adieu, fière cité	Hector Berlioz, Composer Alexander Gibson, Conductor Ambrosian Opera Chorus Bernadette Greevy, Mezzo soprano Gwynne Howell, Bass Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano Keith Erwen, Tenor London Symphony Orchestra
(Les) Troyens, '(The) Trojans', Movement: Dieux de l'oubli	Hector Berlioz, Composer Alexander Gibson, Conductor Ambrosian Opera Chorus Bernadette Greevy, Mezzo soprano Gwynne Howell, Bass Hector Berlioz, Composer Janet Baker, Mezzo soprano Keith Erwen, Tenor London Symphony Orchestra

Author: Alan Blyth

Crespin's Nuits d'ete has always been the interpretation by which others have been assessed and, listening to it again, I see and hear no reason to challenge the verdict. Both in terms of idiomatic and natural French, languorous tone and understanding of the poetry's and the music's meaning, it stands above all other versions. Even Dame Janet Baker's appreciable reading sounds a trifle affected in its vocal grammar besides Crespin's, particularly as regards the determinedly bright, jolly tone employed by the British artist in the first and last songs, whose joyous moods Crespin encompasses without resort to contrivance. I also find Crespin's tempos ideally chosen. The only drawback to her version is the sometimes slack accompanying of Ansermet, not that Barbirolli is ideal in that respect. No, for orchestral authenticity go to Davis's multi-voiced disc recently reviewed here on its CD appearance (Philips 416 961-2PH, 9 / 88). There, too, you will find Josephine Veasey as Crespin's only peer, indeed, possibly superior in ''Spectre de la rose'' and Shirley-Quirk magnificently sombre in ''Sur les lagunes'', which really calls for a bass-baritone's timbre.
Of course other considerations will affect your buying choice. On the Decca, Crespin's Sheherazade is even more in a class of its own than her account of the Berlioz. As soon as she launches seductively into ''Asie'' we know that singer and music are perfectly matched, and the last two songs are even better. As if this were not enough, we have Crespin's Chansons de Bilitis from a later recital, a performance that wonderfully suggests the distant lassitude of poems and music, and a group of Poulenc from the same 1969 record of which the sad, elegiac ''C'' (Deux poemes), that lament for a France torn apart by war, is the plum, but I forget the quite joyously smiling account of the final song in this group. Anyone who thinks some of Crespin's successors fully understand how to interpret melodies needs to hear this record to be reminded of the authentic style adumbrated here.
The Baker record is almost as recommendable, and at 78 minutes provides more than generous fare. Her account of that remarkable cantata, La mort de Cleopatre, has definitely not been surpassed, certainly not by Jessye Norman's version on DG ( 410 966-2GH, 6 / 84). Baker portrays the death-haunted queen with deep feeling and firm resolution. Her essays way above the stave disclose her at the absolute peak of her powers in 1969 and, as I recall from her Scottish Dido, her accomplishment of this role a few months earlier on stage is suitably remembered in the closing scenes of the work: she encompasses both the private and public side of Dido's tragedy unerringly. The declamation is vital, the pathos moving.
The Decca recording of the items with orchestra is a little murky by modern standards; the songs with piano sound admirable. The EMI recordings need little indulgence from the listener. Decca include texts and translations, EMI—reprehensibly—none, and they are really essential for the listener. In spite of that, I would advise admirers of these much-loved artists and of this music to acquire both discs at mid price the Baker is an incredible bargain.'

Regine Crespin sings French Vocal Works

(Les) Nuits d'été

Shéhérazade

(3) Chansons de Bilitis

Banalités, Movement: No. 1, Chanson d'Orkenise

Banalités, Movement: No. 2, Hôtel

(La) Courte paille, Movement: La reine de coeur

(La) Courte paille, Movement: Le carafon

Chansons villageoises, Movement: Les gars qui vont à la fête

(2) Poèmes de Louis Aragon