Lully Atys
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Jean-Baptiste Lully
Genre:
Opera
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Magazine Review Date: 7/1987
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: HMC40 1257/9
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Atys |
Jean-Baptiste Lully, Composer
(Les) Arts Florissants Chorus (Les) Arts Florissants Orchestra Agnès Mellon, Iris, Sangaride, Soprano Arlette Steyer, Melpomene Bernard Delétré, Le Temps, Phobétor, Sangar, Bass François Semellaz, Doris Gilles Ragon, Zephir, Le sommeil, Tenor Guillemette Laurens, Cybèle, Soprano Guy de Mey, Atys, Tenor Isabelle Desrochers, Trio, Soprano Jacques Bona, Idas Jean-Baptiste Lully, Composer Jean-François Gardeil, Célénus, Bass Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Zephir, Morphée, Trio, Tenor Michel Laplénie, Phantase Monique Zanetti, Flore, Soprano Noémi Rime, Mélisse Stephan Maciejewski, Un song funeste William Christie, Conductor |
Composer or Director: Jean-Baptiste Lully
Genre:
Opera
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Magazine Review Date: 7/1987
Media Format: Vinyl
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: HMC1257/9
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Atys |
Jean-Baptiste Lully, Composer
(Les) Arts Florissants Chorus (Les) Arts Florissants Orchestra Agnès Mellon, Iris, Sangaride, Soprano Arlette Steyer, Melpomene Bernard Delétré, Le Temps, Phobétor, Sangar, Bass François Semellaz, Doris Gilles Ragon, Zephir, Le sommeil, Tenor Guillemette Laurens, Cybèle, Soprano Guy de Mey, Atys, Tenor Isabelle Desrochers, Trio, Soprano Jacques Bona, Idas Jean-Baptiste Lully, Composer Jean-François Gardeil, Célénus, Bass Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Zephir, Morphée, Trio, Tenor Michel Laplénie, Phantase Monique Zanetti, Flore, Soprano Noémi Rime, Mélisse Stephan Maciejewski, Un song funeste William Christie, Conductor |
Composer or Director: Jean-Baptiste Lully
Genre:
Opera
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Magazine Review Date: 7/1987
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: HMC90 1257/9
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Atys |
Jean-Baptiste Lully, Composer
(Les) Arts Florissants Chorus (Les) Arts Florissants Orchestra Agnès Mellon, Iris, Sangaride, Soprano Arlette Steyer, Melpomene Bernard Delétré, Le Temps, Phobétor, Sangar, Bass François Semellaz, Doris Gilles Ragon, Zephir, Le sommeil, Tenor Guillemette Laurens, Cybèle, Soprano Guy de Mey, Atys, Tenor Isabelle Desrochers, Trio, Soprano Jacques Bona, Idas Jean-Baptiste Lully, Composer Jean-François Gardeil, Célénus, Bass Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Zephir, Morphée, Trio, Tenor Michel Laplénie, Phantase Monique Zanetti, Flore, Soprano Noémi Rime, Mélisse Stephan Maciejewski, Un song funeste William Christie, Conductor |
Author: Nicholas Anderson
Atys was Lully's fourth tragedie-lyrique and it was first staged in 1676 by the ''Academie Royale de Musique'' at the King's residence at Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Louis XIV is said to have preferred Atys to all other of Lully's operas and his opinion seems to have been widely shared, up to a point, both in and perhaps outside France. Telemann, in a letter to Carl Heinrich Graun once remarked that French airs had replaced the previous vogue for Italian cantatas in Germany. Indeed, Telemann claimed, ''I have known Germans, Englishmen, Russians, Poles and even Jews who knew by heart entire passages from Lully's operas Bellerophon and Atys''. Five recently discovered letters, all relating to a greater or lesser extent to the preparation and performance of Atys, and reproduced in the accompanying booklet to this recording, add further witness to the evident esteem in which the work was held. ''But Atys will not be an opera, any more than Thesee was'', reads a letter of August 1675; ''Imagine, rather, a stage with machinery, dances and obbligato music: almost a copy of the antique. The prologue is the introduction, a preamble. The rest is a story, a play, which we leave for a moment from time to time, for an ephemeral landscape, an enchanted or terrifying divertissement... Lully claims that he is able to do without the orchestra and choir during the entire main body of the drama, in order to obtain a contrast, lighting effects, breaks during the divertissements where there will be a debauch, an orgy of voices and instruments. The entire drama will evolve in this way, in half-tints; no impressive showpieces for the singers, no big airs; but small airs de cour and recitatives, will with continuo...''
Lully's librettist, Quinault, turned to Ovid's Fasti for his subject matter. Ovid's design was to interpret the calendar in the light of ancient annals, to record events commemorated on each day and examine the origins of the various rites. There was to have been one book of elegiacs for each month of the year but Ovid only got halfway. The story of Atys is contained in the fourth book; he was a Phrygian deity who, in this version of the story, loves Sangaride. Sangaride loves Atys, in return, yet is all set to marry Celenus, King of Phrygia. But Atys, very unfortunately for him, as it turns out, is secretly loved by the goddess Cybele; her arrival for the forthcoming marriage of Celenus and Sangaride is but a pretext for seeing Atys and revealing to him her love. Courtly or godly propriety, however, prevents her from openly declaring her feelings so, instead, she causes Atys to fall into a deep sleep intending to let him know of her love in a dream. The dream turns into something of a nightmare and when he wakes from it Cybele learns that Atys and Sangaride love one another. The two lovers swear eternal faith while Cybele and Celenus are left licking their wounds. Cybele determines upon a terrible revenge. By application of her magic she makes Atys believe that he sees a horrible monster; he stabs it to death only then to discover that it is his beloved Sangaride. Broken hearted, Atys stabs himself but is prevented from a normal death by Cybele who turns him into a pine tree. Deeply regretting her immortality, which gives her no respite from her suffering, Cybele is left mourning over a love that has for ever been snatched away from her. The work is unusual amongst Lully's operas therefore in not having a happy ending.
In this new recording from Harmonia Mundi William Christie has used the same musical resources that he drew upon for his highly successful and illuminating performances at the Salle Favart in Paris earlier this year. His orchestra is a large one roughly corresponding with the size and disposition of the kind of ensemble which Lully, himself, had at his disposal; and the continuo group, the Petit Choeur, separate from the main body of the orchestra in functional terms, consists of nine players roughly but not precisely corresponding with documentary evidence of the early eighteenth century. The exact nature and augmentation of the instrumentation of Lully's scores, however, remains a complex problem to the modern performer. What exactly did Lully mean, for example, when he referred to instruments champestres in the livret of Atys? The livrets, which contained a mixture of text and specific performance information, often gave details of the instrumentalists appearing on stage; in that produced for Atys in 1676, for example, three crumhorns are listed along with five oboes for the ''Entree des Zephirs'' (Act 2 scene 4). Christie's orchestra provides a full complement of the latter instruments but omits crumhorns altogetherf an understandable omission perhaps since the word may have embraced a variety of reed instruments including larger members of the oboe family. An absence here of a musette, too, perhaps is something of a surprise for this would almost certainly have been included amongst the instruments champestres. Thirty-three voices make up the chorus in addition to a cast of 16 soloists.
Few lovers of baroque opera will be disappointed with this latest recording by William Christie and Les Arts Florissants. The orchestral playing and the choral singing have moved towards greater technical sophistication since their recording of Charpentier's Medee, released in 1984 (HM1139/41, 11/84; CD HMC90 1139/41, 3/85); and whilst I found little in the solo singing that was outstanding, the general level of accomplishment, both declamatory and musical, is high. Guy de Mey, who takes the high tenor role of Atys, is excellent for most of the time as is Agnes Mellon as the hapless Sangaride. Her voice is a perennial favourite of mine and there are several occasions here where she affectingly captures the pathos in Lully's airs. The mezzo-soprano role of Cybele is sung by Guillemette Laurens; her strong clear voice suites the part though her intonation is weak in places. Jean-Francois Gardeil makes an authoritative Celenus and his resonant voice has an appropriately commanding ring to it. Amongst several smaller roles I was particularly struck by the soprano voice of Noemi Rime as Melisse, confidante of Cybele, and the soprano, Francoise Semellaz.
Whilst there is nothing musically as memorable in Atys as, for instance, in Charpentier's Medee, or indeed perhaps in Lully's own Armide there is no shortage of affecting airs and ensembles of varying sizes. From amongst them I would single out a duet of Atys and Sangaride (Act 4 scene 4) and an animated scene between them (Act 1 scene 6). Duets are the most frequently occurring small ensembles in Lully's operas but Atys has some delightful trios and quartets too, such as the quartet with Atys, Sangaride and their respective confidantes, Idas, a bass role, and Doris, a soprano one (Act 1 scene 3); and the trio of Sangaride, Doris and Idas, ''Qu'une premiere amour est belle!'' (Act 4 scene 1). The most striking and original music of the opera occurs in the Third Act where Lully treats his audience to one of his undoubted specialities, a sleep scene of the kind that he introduced so effectively into Armide, ten years later. The music is full of nuances, and contrast between the drowsy utterances of Sommneil, Morphee, and Phobetor, on the one hand and the harsh, strident warnings of the ''Songes Funestes'' on the other. Here, too, there is a suggestion of the comic element which had played a larger part in Lully's earlier operas, above all, in Alceste but which virtually disappeared in the later ones. Christie uses an organ as an accompanying instrument in this scene but no mention is made of it in the otherwise detailed list of instruments included in the booklet.
What ensures the success of this performance as much as anything is Christie's lively rhythmic sense, and his informed handling of French music of this period. He keeps the recitative moving with admirable flexibility and vitality and makes the frequent shifts between three and four time, often within the same musical phrase, so much a part of Lully's style, with ease and conviction. Much of the recitative is expressive and it requires sensitive treatment both from singers and players alike. The success with which Christie and his ensemble interpret it may be measured by the high level of interest which they generate in scenes of extended recitative such as that at the beginning of Act 2. The many little orchestral ritournelles are brought to life with vitality and brilliance by Christie's colourful orchestral forces.
To sum up, this is a major achievement which will do much to improve Lully's somewhat lacklustre reputation as a composer. There will doubtless be sceptics, but only adversely prejudiced hearts will remain unsoftened by a scene such as that where Atys murders his beloved Sangaride (Act 5 scene 3), observed by the chorus, which comments in a poignant refrain, somewhat in the manner of Greek tragedy. Fine LP pressings and a clear, resonant recording acoustic both on LP and CD. Full texts in French, English and German. Bravo!'
Lully's librettist, Quinault, turned to Ovid's Fasti for his subject matter. Ovid's design was to interpret the calendar in the light of ancient annals, to record events commemorated on each day and examine the origins of the various rites. There was to have been one book of elegiacs for each month of the year but Ovid only got halfway. The story of Atys is contained in the fourth book; he was a Phrygian deity who, in this version of the story, loves Sangaride. Sangaride loves Atys, in return, yet is all set to marry Celenus, King of Phrygia. But Atys, very unfortunately for him, as it turns out, is secretly loved by the goddess Cybele; her arrival for the forthcoming marriage of Celenus and Sangaride is but a pretext for seeing Atys and revealing to him her love. Courtly or godly propriety, however, prevents her from openly declaring her feelings so, instead, she causes Atys to fall into a deep sleep intending to let him know of her love in a dream. The dream turns into something of a nightmare and when he wakes from it Cybele learns that Atys and Sangaride love one another. The two lovers swear eternal faith while Cybele and Celenus are left licking their wounds. Cybele determines upon a terrible revenge. By application of her magic she makes Atys believe that he sees a horrible monster; he stabs it to death only then to discover that it is his beloved Sangaride. Broken hearted, Atys stabs himself but is prevented from a normal death by Cybele who turns him into a pine tree. Deeply regretting her immortality, which gives her no respite from her suffering, Cybele is left mourning over a love that has for ever been snatched away from her. The work is unusual amongst Lully's operas therefore in not having a happy ending.
In this new recording from Harmonia Mundi William Christie has used the same musical resources that he drew upon for his highly successful and illuminating performances at the Salle Favart in Paris earlier this year. His orchestra is a large one roughly corresponding with the size and disposition of the kind of ensemble which Lully, himself, had at his disposal; and the continuo group, the Petit Choeur, separate from the main body of the orchestra in functional terms, consists of nine players roughly but not precisely corresponding with documentary evidence of the early eighteenth century. The exact nature and augmentation of the instrumentation of Lully's scores, however, remains a complex problem to the modern performer. What exactly did Lully mean, for example, when he referred to instruments champestres in the livret of Atys? The livrets, which contained a mixture of text and specific performance information, often gave details of the instrumentalists appearing on stage; in that produced for Atys in 1676, for example, three crumhorns are listed along with five oboes for the ''Entree des Zephirs'' (Act 2 scene 4). Christie's orchestra provides a full complement of the latter instruments but omits crumhorns altogetherf an understandable omission perhaps since the word may have embraced a variety of reed instruments including larger members of the oboe family. An absence here of a musette, too, perhaps is something of a surprise for this would almost certainly have been included amongst the instruments champestres. Thirty-three voices make up the chorus in addition to a cast of 16 soloists.
Few lovers of baroque opera will be disappointed with this latest recording by William Christie and Les Arts Florissants. The orchestral playing and the choral singing have moved towards greater technical sophistication since their recording of Charpentier's Medee, released in 1984 (HM1139/41, 11/84; CD HMC90 1139/41, 3/85); and whilst I found little in the solo singing that was outstanding, the general level of accomplishment, both declamatory and musical, is high. Guy de Mey, who takes the high tenor role of Atys, is excellent for most of the time as is Agnes Mellon as the hapless Sangaride. Her voice is a perennial favourite of mine and there are several occasions here where she affectingly captures the pathos in Lully's airs. The mezzo-soprano role of Cybele is sung by Guillemette Laurens; her strong clear voice suites the part though her intonation is weak in places. Jean-Francois Gardeil makes an authoritative Celenus and his resonant voice has an appropriately commanding ring to it. Amongst several smaller roles I was particularly struck by the soprano voice of Noemi Rime as Melisse, confidante of Cybele, and the soprano, Francoise Semellaz.
Whilst there is nothing musically as memorable in Atys as, for instance, in Charpentier's Medee, or indeed perhaps in Lully's own Armide there is no shortage of affecting airs and ensembles of varying sizes. From amongst them I would single out a duet of Atys and Sangaride (Act 4 scene 4) and an animated scene between them (Act 1 scene 6). Duets are the most frequently occurring small ensembles in Lully's operas but Atys has some delightful trios and quartets too, such as the quartet with Atys, Sangaride and their respective confidantes, Idas, a bass role, and Doris, a soprano one (Act 1 scene 3); and the trio of Sangaride, Doris and Idas, ''Qu'une premiere amour est belle!'' (Act 4 scene 1). The most striking and original music of the opera occurs in the Third Act where Lully treats his audience to one of his undoubted specialities, a sleep scene of the kind that he introduced so effectively into Armide, ten years later. The music is full of nuances, and contrast between the drowsy utterances of Sommneil, Morphee, and Phobetor, on the one hand and the harsh, strident warnings of the ''Songes Funestes'' on the other. Here, too, there is a suggestion of the comic element which had played a larger part in Lully's earlier operas, above all, in Alceste but which virtually disappeared in the later ones. Christie uses an organ as an accompanying instrument in this scene but no mention is made of it in the otherwise detailed list of instruments included in the booklet.
What ensures the success of this performance as much as anything is Christie's lively rhythmic sense, and his informed handling of French music of this period. He keeps the recitative moving with admirable flexibility and vitality and makes the frequent shifts between three and four time, often within the same musical phrase, so much a part of Lully's style, with ease and conviction. Much of the recitative is expressive and it requires sensitive treatment both from singers and players alike. The success with which Christie and his ensemble interpret it may be measured by the high level of interest which they generate in scenes of extended recitative such as that at the beginning of Act 2. The many little orchestral ritournelles are brought to life with vitality and brilliance by Christie's colourful orchestral forces.
To sum up, this is a major achievement which will do much to improve Lully's somewhat lacklustre reputation as a composer. There will doubtless be sceptics, but only adversely prejudiced hearts will remain unsoftened by a scene such as that where Atys murders his beloved Sangaride (Act 5 scene 3), observed by the chorus, which comments in a poignant refrain, somewhat in the manner of Greek tragedy. Fine LP pressings and a clear, resonant recording acoustic both on LP and CD. Full texts in French, English and German. Bravo!'
Lully Atys
Lully Atys
Lully Atys
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