Joseph Canteloube - Chants d'Auvergne Vol. 2 (Véronique Gens)

Information

Composer: Joseph Canteloube

• (01) Chants d'Auvergne
• (10) Triptyque
• (13) Chants de France

Véronique Gens, soprano
Orchestre National de Lille
Serge Baudo, conductor

Date: 2007
Label: Naxos
https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.570338

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Review

There's more to Canteloube than the Auvergne, so splendidly shown here

For her second CD devoted to Joseph Canteloube’s vocal music, Véronique Gens has looked beyond the celebrated, much-recorded Chants d’Auvergne, and back to Tryptique, composed in 1913. Canteloube dedicated this to Maggie Teyte but the First World War interrupted its progress, and it was not until 1923 that Jane Campredon gave the premiere, with the Colonne orchestra conducted by Gabriel Pierné.

A setting of three poems by Roger Frêne, its lush, not to say extravagant orchestration anticipates Canteloube’s later folksong settings. The influence of both Ravel and Debussy is obvious, maybe also Stravinsky (it was, after all, the year of The Rite of Spring). The first section, “Offrande à l’été” is an ardent love song, with some pretty giddy scoring for harps. The central “Lunaire” has a more mysterious, yearning feel, with a lovely little dissonance at the word “cendre”, as the poet imagines the leaves turning to ash. The finale, “Hymne dans l’aurore” is an ecstatic prayer to Pan, celebrating every wonder of nature. The final cry, “Mon âme s’ouvre ainsi qu’une aube étincellante! O Pan!” is marked in the score crescendo en grandissant, and Gens, Serge Baudo and the Lille Orchestra rise to the moment with splendid force. It is really surprising that this work has not become better known; any soprano wanting to look beyond the obvious repertory should welcome it.

The rest of the disc is taken up with those remaining Auvergne songs not included on the earlier issue, conducted by Jean-Claude Casadesus (4/05). Once again, Gens proves that an authentic knowledge of the dialect is a great advantage. The much later group from Chants de France makes a pleasant end to the recital, but it is Tryptique that has to be heard.

-- Patrick O'Connor, Gramophone

More reviews:
ClassicsToday  ARTISTIC QUALITY: 10 / SOUND QUALITY: 9
MusicWeb International  BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
http://www.classical-music.com/review/canteloube-2
https://www.naxos.com/reviews/reviewslist.asp?catalogueid=8.570338&languageid=EN
https://www.amazon.com/Canteloube-Chants-dAuvergne-Vol-2/dp/B000PFU8L6

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Joseph Canteloube (21 October 1879 – 4 November 1957) was a French composer, musicologist, and author. He was a student of Vincent d'Indy and a close friend of Déodat de Séverac (Canteloube wrote biographies for both). Alongside his career as a composer, Canteloube was a musicologist, collecting traditional French folksongs. It took more than thirty years (1924-55) for him to complete his most admired and famous Chants d'Auvergne. These passionate songs reflect the landscapes of his native Auvergne in lush orchestral colors and have enabled French folklore and rustic melodies to become better known.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Canteloube

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Véronique Gens (born 19 April 1966) is a French operatic soprano. Gens was born in Orléans, France, and studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, winning first prize at the school. Her debut in 1986 was with William Christie and his Les Arts Florissants. She has since worked with Marc Minkowski, René Jacobs, Christophe Rousset, Philippe Herreweghe, and Jean-Claude Malgoire. While she started out as a Baroque specialist, Gens has also come into demand for roles in Mozart operas, and as an interpreter of songs by Berlioz, Debussy, Fauré and others. Her recordings include many works by Mozart and Purcell.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A9ronique_Gens
https://www.veroniquegens.com/

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