[Cover graphic]

2 Compact Discs CDA67321/2

£26.98

Ernest Chausson's music has always seemed, to those who love it, a 'special case'. So ready are French-song enthusiasts to praise and celebrate Duparc and Fauré, Debussy and Ravel, that the quiet, self-effacing man hiding behind a beard is all too easily overlooked.

These two compact discs contain all of Chausson's published solo songs (and two duets) for voice and piano, as well as the Chanson perpétuelle with string quartet. Also included are several unpublished songs transcribed from manuscript sources in the Bibliothèque Nationale. There are 43 songs altogether, several receiving their first recording. Dame Felicity Lott and Ann Murray need no introduction but the disc also represents the recording debut of baritone Chris Pedro Trakas who has won many plaudits for his concerts and operatic work in his native America. The set comes with Graham's Johnson usual exhaustive and absorbing notes (80 pages) and full song texts and translations.

Recorded on 30 June, 1 2 July, 9 10 11 November 1999
Recording Engineers
ANTONY HOWELL
JULIAN MILLARD
Recording Producer
MARK BROWN
Front Design
TERRY SHANNON
Booklet Editor
TIM PARRY
Executive Producers
SIMON PERRY
EDWARD PERRY
© Hyperion Records Ltd, London, MMI

Duration: 130'12
DDD
Front illustration: Le jet d'eau (Versailles) by Gaston de Latouche (1854-1913)

——  The Hyperion French Song Edition  ——

ERNEST CHAUSSON (1855-1899)

The Songs of Chausson

FELICITY LOTT soprano
ANN MURRAY mezzo soprano
CHRIS PEDRO TRAKAS baritone
GRAHAM JOHNSON piano
with
GERALDINE McGREEVY soprano
THE CHILINGIRIAN QUARTET

Contents:

COMPACT DISC ONE [65'10]

  1. Les papillons (Théophile Gautier) Op 2 No 3 [1'16]
  2. La dernière feuille (Théophile Gautier) Op 2 No 4 [2'14]
  3. Le charme (Armand Silvestre) Op 2 No 2 [1'55]
  4. Sérénade italienne (Paul Bourget) Op 2 No 5 [1'59]
  5. Hébé (Louise Ackermann) Op 2 No 6 [2'55]
  6. Le rideau de ma voisine (Alfred de Musset) sn7 [1'42]
  7. L'albatros (Charles Baudelaire) sn10 [3'42]
  8. La nuit (Théodore de Banville) Op 11 No 1 [2'42]
  9. Sérénade (Jean Lahor) Op 13 No 2 [3'01]
  10. Le reveil (Honoré de Balzac) Op 11 No 2 [3'39]
  11. Nous nous aimerons (Maurice Bouchor) sn19 [2'24]
  12. Chanson (Maurice Bouchor) sn2 [2'38]
  13. L'âme de bois (Maurice Bouchor) sn3 [2'39]
  14. Le temps des lilas (Maurice Bouchor) [4'20]
  15. Printemps triste (Maurice Bouchor) Op 8 No 3 [3'44]
  16. Nocturne (Maurice Bouchor) Op 8 No 1 [2'29]
  17. Nos souvenirs (Maurice Bouchor) Op 8 No 4 [3'10]
  18. Amour d'antan (Maurice Bouchor) Op 8 No 2 [2'57]
  19. La cigale (Leconte de Lisle) Op 13 No 4 [1'39]
  20. Nanny (Leconte de Lisle) Op 2 No 1 [2'28]
  21. Le colibri (Leconte de Lisle) Op 2 No 7 [2'59]
  22. La caravane (Théophile Gautier) Op 14 [6'55]
COMPACT DISC TWO [65'02]
  1. L'aveu (Villiers de l'Isle Adam) Op 13 No 3 [3'41]
  2. Les morts (Jean Richepin) Op 17 No 1 [3'15]
  3. La pluie (Jean Richepin) Op 17 No 2 [1'11]
  4. Apaisement (Paul Verlaine) Op 13 No 1 [2'22]

    Serres chaudes (Maurice Maeterlinck) Op 24

  5. Serre chaude [3'24]
  6. Serre d'ennui [2'55]
  7. Lassitude [2'37]
  8. Fauves las [1'49]
  9. Oraison [2'46]

    Trois lieder de Camille Mauclair Op 27

  10. Les heures [2'43]
  11. Ballade [3'13]
  12. Les couronnes [2'45]

  13. Marins dévots à la vierge Marie (Ballade française) (Paul Fort) sn27 [2'53]
  14. Dans la forêt du charme et de l'enchantement (Jean Moréas) Op 36 No 2 [3'31]

    Deux Poemes de Verlaine Op 34

  15. La chanson bien douce (Paul Verlaine) [3'06]
  16. Le chevalier malheur (Paul Verlaine) [4'06]

    Trois Chansons de Shakespeare (translated by Maurice Bouchor) Op 28

  17. Chanson de clown [2'45]
  18. Chanson d'amour [2'07]
  19. Chanson d'Ophélie [1'36]

  20. Cantique à l'épouse (Albert Jounet) Op 36 No 1 [3'33]
  21. Chanson perpétuelle (Charles Cros) Op 37 [6'48]

    'sn' = 'sans nombre', or without opus number
Sleeve Notes

'Superb. Art is long, life is short, and this offering is very, very rich' (Fanfare, USA)

'To have the complete collection gathered together on disc is a treat, and with artists like these, the performances are about as good as you could expect this side of the pearly gates … If a reason for a reassessment of Chausson's role as a writer of mélodie is needed, this marvellous set is overwhelmingly it' (Amazon.co.uk)

'This is Hyperion at its best, presenting sensuous, exquisite performances … Dames Felicity Lott and Ann Murray generate magical artistry' (Music Week)

'Up to Hyperion's habitual high standard' (Gramophone)

'With this disc, the music of Chausson really does find revelatory new significance' (The Times)

'Felicity Lott…is radiant and unhurried and the pick of an excellent crop of singers' (BBC Music Magazine)

'Unlikely to be bettered' (www.musicweb)

'Editor, musicologist, impresario and pianist Graham Johnson gives us a jewel-box of essays, poems, time-lines, artwork, and Chausson's complete songs. And the performances are as magical and eloquent as the program book' (Opera News)

See also:
Bizet: Songs
Boulanger: Clairières dans le ciel
Chabrier: Musique Adorable!
Duparc: The Complete Songs
Fauré: 'La Chanson d'Eve' and other songs
Gounod: The 'Biondina' Cycle and other songs
La Procession: 80 years of French song
Poulenc: Voyage à Paris
Séverac: Songs
Songs by Camille Saint-Saëns
Songs by Louis Durey
Songs by Reynaldo Hahn
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