Alfred Bruneau - Requiem; Lazare (Jacques Mercier)

Information

Composer: Alfred Bruneau

• (01) Requiem
• (10) Lazare (poème lyrique d'Emile Zola)

Françoise Pollet, soprano
Mary Saint-Pallais, soprano
Sylvie Sullé, mezzo-soprano
Jean-Luc Viala, tenor
Laurent Naouri, bass-baritone

Chœur régional Vittoria d'Île-de-France, chorus master: Michel Piquemal
Maîtrise de Paris, chorus master: Patrick Marco
Orchestre National d'Île-de-France
Jacques Mercier, conductor

Date: 1994
Label: Adès

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Review

Alfred Bruneau was, like Gustave Charpentier, a friend of Emile Zola and a follower of the Italian veristi rather than the impressionism of Debussy. His fairly early Requiem contains much that is striking and surprising, together with passages of more Gounod-like melodic swing. Whether the surprises add up to a coherent whole, and whether they will satisfy on later hearings when the surprise element has worn off, is difficult to say of a work so rarely encountered. Those with a taste for late-19th Century choral music will surely enjoy finding out. They will get to know both works in heartfelt performances and pleasing if not very detailed recordings. In view of the obvious conviction of all concerned I see no point in going into detail except to give an encouraging nod to the tenor whose vibrato seemed excessive in 1989 but who had it well under control by 1994.

The writer of the note states that the Bruneau Requiem had only three performances (1886 in London and Paris, 1907 in Amsterdam) before Mercier revived it and made the present recording. I can tell him of at least one other: the work was performed in London by the Bach Choir under Sir Charles Villiers Stanford in 1895. Letters from Bruneau to Stanford are quoted in Plunket Greene’s biography of the latter, and it can be seen that Stanford found certain aspects of the piece "disquieting", particularly the "bouche fermée" effects which he asked to have altered. Bruneau told him firmly: "Unfortunately, it will be impossible for me to modify the bouche fermée passages which surprise you so much. They have their raison d’être, their necessity in the poetic context of the work... But, I beg you, do not hesitate in any way and if the audacities of my Requiem disturb you, simply send the score back to me, and this will not prevent us from remaining friends, as in the past" (Stanford put up with the bouche fermée and went on to conduct the work).

Those who acquire this album for the sake of two interesting and neglected French Requiems will also be taking on board a string of sanctimonious French religious pieces, often decked out in mushy arrangements, the anonymity of which has my understanding.

-- Christopher Howell, MusicWeb- International
reviewing RCA RED SEAL 74321 886 882

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Alfred Bruneau (3 March 1857 – 15 June 1934) was a French composer who played a key role in the introduction of realism in French opera. Born in Paris, Bruneau studied the cello as a youth at the Paris Conservatory and began to compose while still a young man. In 1888, he met Émile Zola, launching a collaboration between the two men that would last for two decades. Bruneau's operatic works also contained themes by Hans Christian Andersen and Victor Hugo. Bruneau's orchestral works show the influence of Wagner. His other works include his Requiem (1888) and two collections of songs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Bruneau

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Jacques Mercier (born in Metz in 1945) is a French conductor. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris and obtained first prize in conducting in 1972. Mercier was artistic director and permanent conductor of the Orchestre National d’Île-de-France (1982-2002), Resident Conductor of the Turku Philharmonic in Finland (1990-1995). Mercier was appointed permanent conductor and musical director of the Orchestre National de Lorraine in 2002. He has participated in several film soundtracks, both as conductor and consultant. He also appears in the films "L'effrontée" (1985) and "La femme de ma vie" (1986).
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Mercier_(chef_d%27orchestre)

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