In the 1990s Véronique Gens established herself as a uniquely gifted interpreter of the French Baroque repertoire; soon after, she took up several Mozart operas in performances and recordings that met with considerable acclaim. In the last decade, she has released several albums exploring the French mélodie, repertoire that is the focus of this wonderful new release. It is music that perfectly suits Gens’ sensuous tone and interpretive insight. Adding to the attractiveness of this new release is the inclusion of the I Giardini piano quintet in several song transcriptions.
The program itself focuses on four aspects of a summer night: the beauty of twilight, sweet dreams, disruptive nightmares, and joyful awakening. The repertoire is an engaging mix of well-known (Fauré, Berlioz, Massenet, Saint-Saëns, Chausson and Liszt) and lesser-known (Lekeu, Tombelle, Ropartz, Widor, Ropartz and others) composers. Several of the pieces feature idiomatic and convincing chamber arrangements by Alexandre Dratwicki. I Giardini performs three selections on its own, creating a pleasing change in atmosphere between sets of melodies. The decision to use this instrumentation is discussed in the exemplary liner notes. As performances of the mélodie began to migrate from the salon to the concert hall, composers such as Debussy, Duparc, and Saint-Saëns sought to add a more symphonic color to their songs. Lekeu’s “Nocturne” (track 1), Fauré’s “La Lune blanche luit dans les bois” (track 2, from “La Bonne Chanson”) and Chausson’s “Chanson perpétuelle” are three examples included in this recital.
It is hard to imagine a voice better suited to this repertoire. Evenness of tone between registers and seamless legato are as apparent as ever, as is careful attention to diction and a sensitivity to the changing sentiments of the poetry. Gens is always intensely musical, without ever resorting to the over-egging one sometimes hears in other performances, as by Patricia Petibon. Those who like Petibon’s more extroverted style may suggest that these performances have an emotional reticence, but I never felt any such worry. Gens’ interpretations are centered on full textual expression.
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Choosing impressive examples from this program is particularly difficult, but the program’s second section is particularly engaging. Opening with a gorgeous rendition of Tombelle’s “Orientale” (track 4), its modal inflections and ornaments evoke dreams of the Far East. This is followed by Massenet’s “Nuit d’Espagne,” a vivacious description of a lively Spanish evening, with Gens’ subtly changing the color and articulation of each verse. That playful mood is immediately dispelled by the opening of “Désir de l’Orient” (Track 6). Gens’ again captures the conflicting emotions of excitement and reticence as she contemplates exploring the “Sacred Orient.” At 2’53, the voice suddenly drops out as the music shifts into a breathless allegro, Saint-Saëns using the pentatonic scale to tell the listener we have arrived at our destination. It is a thrilling ending, brilliantly dispatched by I Giardini.
The recording, made in the Salle Philharmonique de Liege last year, is excellent, as are the liner notes. Full texts and translations are provided. This is a first-class production in every way and should be heard by every lover of the French mélodie.
“Nuits” – French Melodies
Véronique Gens – Soprano
I Giardini:
Shuichi Okada – Violin
Pablo Schatzman – Violin
Léa Hennino – Viola
Pauline Buet – Cello
David Violi – Piano
Alpha Classics, CD 589
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