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Duparc Mélodies: L'Invitation au voyage (CD)
Performers:
· Gerald Finley, baritone
· Catherine Robbin, mezzo soprano
· Stephen Ralls, piano
Released ( June 18, 2002)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Musica Viva
ASIN: B00006877J
Track Listing: Click each title to hear an extract
1. Sérénade ("Si j'étais, ô mon amoureuse"), song for voice & piano, Op. 2/2. Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
2. Romance de Mignon ("Le connais-tu, ce radieux pays"), song for voice & piano, Op. 2/3. Catherine Robbin, Stephen Ralls
3. Soupir ("Ne jamais la voir"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 2/1. Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
4. Chanson triste ("Dans ton coeur..."), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 2/4. Catherine Robbin, Stephen Ralls
5. Le Galop ("Agite, bon cheval"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 2/5. Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
6. La Fuite, song for 2 voices & piano (or orchestra), Op. 2/6. Catherine Robbin, Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
7. La vague et la cloche ("Une fois, terrassé par un puissant breuvage"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
8. Le manoir de Rosamonde ("De sa dent soudaine et vorace"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
9. Au pays où se fait la guerre, song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Catherine Robbin, Stephen Ralls
10. L'invitation au voyage ("Mon enfant, ma soeur"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
11. Extase ("Sur un lys pâle"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Catherine Robbin, Stephen Ralls
12. Elégie ("Oh! ne murmurez pas son nom!"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Catherine Robbin, Stephen Ralls
13. Phidylé ("L'herbe est molle au sommeil"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
14. Sérénade florentine ("Étoile dont la beauté luit"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
15. Testament ("Pour que le vent te les apporte"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Catherine Robbin, Stephen Ralls
16. Lamento ("Connaissez-vous la blanche tombe"), song for voice & piano. Catherine Robbin, Stephen Ralls
17. La vie antérieure ("J'ai longtemps habité..."), song for voice & piano (or orchestra). Gerald Finley, Stephen Ralls
From the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation website
The Complete Melodies of Henri Duparc
http://www.cbcshop.ca/CBC/shopping/product.aspx?Product_ID=1148&Variant_ID=MVCD+1148&lang=en-CA
The case of Henri Duparc (1848-1933) is one of the strangest in musical history. Being extremely self-critical by nature and destroying much that he wrote, he nevertheless had a collection of sixteen songs to his credit by the time he was 35, together with a few orchestral works and piano pieces. The songs, with a very few exceptions, stand comparison with the greatest in the whole history of French mélodies.
The first five songs were published in 1869 as Cinq mélodies, Op. 2. Duparc later withdrew Romance, Sérénade and Le Galop, and attempted to destroy all existing copies of them. Then, with L’Invitation au voyage, we find ourselves suddenly face to face with the first of a series of masterpieces, a setting of one of Baudelaire’s grandest poems. It was destined to find a poignant, regretful counterpart in Duparc’s final song, La Vie antérieure.
To sing these masterpieces, CBC Records invited two of Canada’s most outstanding international soloists, mezzo soprano Catherine Robbin and baritone Gerald Finley, as accompanied by the incomparable pianist Stephen Ralls. Welcomed on the most-renowned concert and recital stages in the world, Ms. Robbin is in demand for her extensive repertoire, ranging from Bach and Handel to the works of Schubert, Mahler, Britten, Elgar, Berlioz, Ravel – and Duparc. Gerald Finley has become one of the leading singers of his generation, recording with major labels and performing at the major opera and concert venues in a wide variety of repertoire, all to critical acclaim All three of these outstanding artists have several recordings to their credit, including many on the CBC Records label including Mr. Finley’s wonderful interpretation of the English Songs of Travel (MVCD 1115) which won the 1998 Juno for Best Classical Performance in the vocal category.