This CD is reissued by ArkivMusic.
Notes and Editorial Reviews
One can hear why Maurane was so admired in France. His beautiful baritone, never forced, caresses the words and the vocal line.
Camille Maurane was a stalwart member of the ensemble at the Opera-Comique in the 1940s and 1950s. His roles ranged from Marcello in La boheme and Nicklausse in Hoffmann to parts in such now forgotten works as Marcel Dellanoy's Ginevra, Reynaldo Hahn's Le oui des jeunes lilies and Antoine Mariotte's Nele Dooryn. His greatest success was as Pelleas, which he first sang in 1949 and subsequently recorded twice - with Jean Fournet (Philips, 4/93) and for Ansermet's second version. He also participated in a French radio broadcast of the opera under Inghelbrecht in 1963.
A pupil of
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Claire Croiza, he was a baryton martin with a light, fluent voice. Because of the repertory he has recorded in this selection, the obvious comparisons are with Bernac and Souzay. While he does not have the dramatic weight of the latter, nor the playful charm of the former, Maurane's singing is constantly pleasing.
Given his celebrity as a Debussy interpreter, it is perhaps best to start at the end, and listen to his performances of the three Francois Villon songs with orchestra. "Ballade de Villon a s'amye" sounds so much in the world of Pelleas that one might be forgiven for mistaking it for a passage from the opera. In the prayer to Notre Dame, he doesn't have the gravitas of Souzay in his Decca recording with Lindenberg (2/54 - nla), but the final "Ballade des femmes de Paris", with its joyous ending, makes a fine finish to the recital.
In the Duparc group, one can hear why Maurane was so admired in France (he made over 250 broadcasts on French radio). In Lamento, to words by Gautier, his beautiful baritone, never forced, caresses the words and the vocal line. Even without texts or translations - such a loss where this repertory is concerned - every word is clear so that the full impact of the poet's tragic picture is made evident. Maurane's voice is perhaps a little light for the great drama of Le manoir de Rosemonde, but I would be tempted to say that these Duparc performances are the most satisfying available. Lily Bienvenu's accompaniments don't have the subtlety of Gerald Moore or Dalton Baldwin, but as she was obviously one of Maurane's regular partners, they make a good team.
-- Gramophone [12/1995]
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Works on This Recording
1.
Requiem, Op. 48 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Pierrette Alarie (Tenor)
Conductor:
Jean Fournet
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Lamoureux Concerts Association Orchestra,
Elisabeth Brasseur Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: 1887-1890; France
Date of Recording: 1953
Language: Latin
2.
La bonne chanson, Op. 61 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892-1894; France
Date of Recording: 1955
Language: French
3.
L'invitation au voyage by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1870; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
4.
Soupir by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1869; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
5.
Testament by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1883; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
6.
Sérénade florentine by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: ?1880-81; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
7.
La vague et la cloche by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1871; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
8.
Lamento by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1883; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
9.
La vie antérieure by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1884; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
10.
Phidylé by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1882; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
11.
Extase by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
12.
Elégie by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1874; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
13.
Le manoir de Rosemonde by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1879; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
14.
Chanson triste by Henri Duparc
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone),
Lily Bienvenu (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1868; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
15.
Les illuminations, Op. 18 by Benjamin Britten
Performer:
Janine Micheau (Soprano)
Conductor:
Paul Sacher
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Lamoureux Concerts Association Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1939; USA
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: English
16.
Don Quichotte à Dulcinée by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone)
Conductor:
Jean Fournet
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Lamoureux Concerts Association Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1932-1933; France
Date of Recording: 1955
Language: French
17.
Shéhérazade by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Janine Micheau (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jean Fournet
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Lamoureux Concerts Association Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1903; France
Date of Recording: 1955
Language: French
18.
Ballades (3) de François Villon by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Camille Maurane (Baritone)
Conductor:
Jean Fournet
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Lamoureux Concerts Association Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1910; France
Date of Recording: 1954
Language: French
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