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Ravel: Prix de Rome Cantatas / Rophé, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
BIS

Ravel: Prix de Rome Cantatas / Rophé, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire

$34.99

Details

Composer
Maurice Ravel
Artist
Veronique Gens, Julien Behr, Jacques Imbrailo, Sophie Koch, Janina Baechle, Vannina Santoni, Michael
Format
SACD
Label
BIS
Released
May 06, 2022
Catalog #
BIS-2582
UPC
7318599925820

About

Between 1803 and 1968, the Grand Prix de Rome marked the zenith of composition studies at the Paris Conservatoire. In Maurice Ravel’s time the competition included an elimination round (a fugue and a choral piece) followed by a cantata in the form of an operatic scena. The entries were judged by a jury which generally favoured expertise and conformity more than originality and Ravel’s growing reputation as a member of the avant-garde was therefore hardly to his advantage, and may explain why he never won the coveted Premier Grand Prix, and the three-year stay at Rome’s Villa Medici that went with it.

The present set brings together all the vocal works that Ravel composed for the Prix de Rome – five shorter settings for choir and orchestra and three cantatas, each with three characters taking part in a plot which followed a more or less fixed sequence of introduction, recitative and aria, a duet, a trio and a brief conclusion. First published more than half a century after Ravel’s death, these test pieces for the Prix de Rome have never acquired the popularity of his other early works, such as Pavane pour une infante défunte, Jeux d’eau or the String Quartet. They are worth more than their reputation as academic exercises might suggest, however, and deserve to be better known, especially when performed by Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire and Pascal Rophé and a team of vocal soloists including Véronique Gens and Michael Spyres.

REVIEWS:

This two-disc set brings together all of these rare vocal pieces by the composer: five shorter settings for choir and orchestra, and three cantatas, each with three characters taking part in the plot, which followed a more or less fixed sequence of introduction, recitative and aria, a duet, a trio and a brief conclusion. First published more than half a century after Ravel's death in 1937, these test pieces for the Prix de Rome have never acquired the popularity of his later and more mature works, but they are no mean pieces and are worth more than their reputation as academic exercises might suggest. These are compositions that are deftly crafted, full of attractive melodies, harmonically refined, and very often deeply sensitive. Indeed, they encapsulate all of the future Ravel hallmarks that were to make him one of the twentieth century's leading French composers.

Pascal Rophé draws some convincing performances and, in his hands, the music has an immediacy that keeps it consistently fresh and vivid. More than a collector's item which should attract the interest of all music lovers - Ravel aficionados in particular. Sonics and booklet notes are first-rate.

-- Classical Music Daily



Tracklist 19 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Prélude 03:29
    Track
    1
    Title
    Prélude
    Duration
    03:29
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  3. 2 Scene 1: Elfes légers, elfes errants (Braïzyl, Alyssa) 07:38
    Track
    2
    Title
    Scene 1: Elfes légers, elfes errants (Braïzyl, Alyssa)
    Duration
    07:38
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Julien Behr, Véronique Gens
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  4. 3 Scene 2: Alyssa! ma beauté, ma lumière (Braïzyl, Alyssa) 06:11
    Track
    3
    Title
    Scene 2: Alyssa! ma beauté, ma lumière (Braïzyl, Alyssa)
    Duration
    06:11
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Julien Behr, Véronique Gens
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  5. 4 Scene 3: Le Barde, porte-glaive! (Braïzyl, Le Barde, Alyssa) 08:50
    Track
    4
    Title
    Scene 3: Le Barde, porte-glaive! (Braïzyl, Le Barde, Alyssa)
    Duration
    08:50
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Julien Behr, Jacques Imbrailo, Véronique Gens
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  6. 5 Prélude 03:44
    Track
    5
    Title
    Prélude
    Duration
    03:44
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  7. 6 Scene 1: À l'horizon, les blanches voiles… (Alcyone, Sophrona) 06:40
    Track
    6
    Title
    Scene 1: À l'horizon, les blanches voiles… (Alcyone, Sophrona)
    Duration
    06:40
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Sophie Koch, Janina Baechle
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  8. 7 Scene 2: Description symphonique: Alcyone! (L'Ombre) 03:56
    Track
    7
    Title
    Scene 2: Description symphonique: Alcyone! (L'Ombre)
    Duration
    03:56
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Julien Behr
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  9. 8 Scene 3: Ah! Dieux puissants! (Alcyone) 01:50
    Track
    8
    Title
    Scene 3: Ah! Dieux puissants! (Alcyone)
    Duration
    01:50
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Sophie Koch
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  10. 9 Scene 4: Mon aimé! Mon aimé! (Alcyone, L'Ombre) 05:45
    Track
    9
    Title
    Scene 4: Mon aimé! Mon aimé! (Alcyone, L'Ombre)
    Duration
    05:45
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Sophie Koch, Julien Behr
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  11. 10 Scene 5: Ma fille, mon enfant! (Sophrona, Alcyone, L'Ombre) 04:47
    Track
    10
    Title
    Scene 5: Ma fille, mon enfant! (Sophrona, Alcyone, L'Ombre)
    Duration
    04:47
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Janina Baechle, Sophie Koch, Julien Behr
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  12. 11 Prélude 02:21
    Track
    11
    Title
    Prélude
    Duration
    02:21
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  13. 12 Scene 1: Me voici seul enfin! (Sardanapale) 03:33
    Track
    12
    Title
    Scene 1: Me voici seul enfin! (Sardanapale)
    Duration
    03:33
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Michael Spyres
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  14. 13 Scene 1: Ainsi qu'un signal - Scene 2: Myrrha! Toi! (Myrrha, Sardanapale) 09:29
    Track
    13
    Title
    Scene 1: Ainsi qu'un signal - Scene 2: Myrrha! Toi! (Myrrha, Sardanapale)
    Duration
    09:29
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Vannina Santoni, Michael Spyres
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  15. 14 Scene 3: Tu ne passeras pas, ô roi (Bélésis, Myrrha, Sardanapale) 09:02
    Track
    14
    Title
    Scene 3: Tu ne passeras pas, ô roi (Bélésis, Myrrha, Sardanapale)
    Duration
    09:02
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Jacques Imbrailo, Vannina Santoni, Michael Spyres
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  16. Disc 2
  17. 1 L'Aurore 06:08
    Track
    1
    Title
    L'Aurore
    Duration
    06:08
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Mathys Lagier
    Ensemble
    Chœur de l'Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  18. 2 La nuit 04:57
    Track
    2
    Title
    La nuit
    Duration
    04:57
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Clarisse Dalles
    Ensemble
    Chœur de l'Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  19. 3 Les Bayadères 03:53
    Track
    3
    Title
    Les Bayadères
    Duration
    03:53
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Clarisse Dalles
    Ensemble
    Chœur de l'Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  20. 4 Matinée de Provence 03:54
    Track
    4
    Title
    Matinée de Provence
    Duration
    03:54
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Clarisse Dalles
    Ensemble
    Chœur de l'Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé
  21. 5 Tout est lumiere 03:52
    Track
    5
    Title
    Tout est lumiere
    Duration
    03:52
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Clarisse Dalles
    Ensemble
    Chœur de l'Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire
    Conductor
    Pascal Rophé