Hyperion Records | Séverac: Songs

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CDA66983

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Recording details: May 1997
Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, Hampstead, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Antony Howell & Julian Millard
Release date: August 1998
Total duration: 75 minutes 59 seconds

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GRAMOPHONE CRITICS' CHOICE

'Another captivating issue from Hyperion. Neglected yet heartwarming songs winningly brought to life. An outstanding issue' (Classic CD)

The Hyperion French Song Edition

Déodat de Séverac (1872-1921)

Songs

François Le Roux (baritone), Graham Johnson (piano)

1		Ritournelle 'Dans la paine blone et sous les allées' [1'55]
2		Renouveau 'Le temps a laissié son manteau' [2'05]
3		Le chevrier 'Là-bas, dans les monts neigeux' [3'50]
4		Soleils couchants 'Paysages tristes' 'Une aube affaiblie' [1'20]
5		Musette 'Quitte ta musette' [1'17]
6		Les hiboux 'Sous les ifs noirs qui les abritent' [3'39]
7		Ne dérangez pas le monde 'Ce mouchoir, belle Raymond' [1'02]
8		Le ciel est, par-dessus le toit … [2'57]
9		Le roi a fait battre tambour [3'17]
10		Un rêve 'En des visions de la sombre nuit' [2'51]
11		Les cors 'Voice les cors qui sonnent l'amour' [4'03]
12		Temps de neige 'Ô l'heure douce! Ô l'exquise seconde' [2'28]
13		Pour le jour des rois 'Le jour de l'Épiphanie' [1'31]
14		Chanson pour le petit cheval 'Petit cheval, qui m'es si cher, va promptement!' [4'03]
15		L'infidèle 'Et s'il revenait un jour' [3'58]
16		Philis 'Par un souris l'Amour surpris' [2'06]
17		Chanson de la nuit durable 'Oh! ma petite princesse de clarté' [5'00]
18		Le cotillon couleur de rose 'Fanchon, as-tu peur que je te touche?' [3'29]
19		Chanson de Blaisine 'La bergère a laissé choir' [2'55]
20		L'éveil de Pâques 'Les vieilles mains d'argent des coutumes locales' [2'16]
21		Ba be bi bo bu! 'Je ne suis plus dans l'ignorance' [1'18]
22		Chanson de Jacques 'Quand je partis, j'avais pour mie' [2'21]
23		Offrande 'Si l'on avait l'audace d'aller chez vous' [1'33]
24		Ma poupée chérie [3'42] Patricia Rozario (soprano)
25		Chant de Noël 'Las! nous n'avons pas l'avantage' [3'50] Patricia Rozario (soprano)
26		Aubade 'Voici ton Jean, ton Jean, ô! Marguerite' [3'36]
27		À l'aube dans la la montagne 'Le long du ciel grenat, d'un grenat d'iris' [3'37]

Happily there seems to be a revival of interest in this attractive minor French master.

A contemporary of Ravel and Debussy, the three of them were once regarded as the leading French composers of their day. But Séverac died comparatively young, away from Paris musical life, having chosen instead to live and work in his native Languedoc, which he loved and portrayed in his music. He also preferred to work in the smaller, more intimate musical forms – piano music, songs, a few chamber pieces (though he did write an opera which is by all accounts a very attractive work well worth revival; an air from it is included here).

This CD assembles nearly all of Séverac's songs, and very varied and attractive they are. Some are settings of his own words (he was a skilled writer and painter as well as musician) and some of Languedocian folk songs. Other texts are by Verlaine, Maeterlinck and Edgar Allan Poe (in French).