Gustave Charpentier: Music for the Prix de Rome

• Audio Samples
• Album Summary
• Notes & Reviews
• Also Purchased
• Works Details

Audio Samples

Album Summary

Performers

• Alain Buet (Bass)
• Sabine Devieilhe
• Bernard Richter

Conductors

• Niquet, Herve
• Segers, Yves

Ensemble

• 

Composer

• Gustave Charpentier (1860 - 1956)

Notes & Reviews:

This third release in the Prix de Rome series by Glossa is set to demonstrate a composer whose range of talents far extends beyond his famous opera 'Louise'.

After Debussy and Saint-Saëns, Hervé Niquet now turns to the dramatic realism of the late 19th century. The Italian period in Charpentier's life (1888-1890) was actually his most fruitful creative. It was there, in Rome, that he worked on two masterly symphonic works: the one elaborating his 'Impressions d'Italie' which was to enjoy significant success right up until the Second World War; whilst the other, 'La Vie du poète', more experimental, called for three soloists, a chorus and a large symphonic orchestra. Thanks to the quality of his chorus 'La Fête des myrtes' and the magnificent Wagnerian cantata 'Didon', the composer won, in 1887, the famous Prix de Rome, opening the way for him to have a Bohemian séjour in the Villa Medici.

Gramophone Magazine
Two of the works here [Didon and La vie du Poete] pointed to a serious future for Charpentier in opera...the standard of performance under Herve Niquet and his chosen Belgian soloists and ensembles easily crosses over from archive duty into committed championship. The Brussels and Antwerp recordings are most natural. A huge recommendation, especially for Didon.

International Record Review
The result is a kind of operatic symphony and some of the music is stunning...this performance is preferable to the 1934 performance by Charpentier. For a start, modern recording allows us to hear the considerable delights of the orchestration, and the orchestral playing and choral singing are superior too...there is so much lovely music here.

Notes & Reviews:

Recording information: Brussels (Flagey) & Antwerp (De Singel), Belgium (06/2011).

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Also Purchased

Works Details

Charpentier, Gustave : Impressions d'Italie, symphonic suite for orchestra

• Conductor: Hervé Niquet
• Notes: Brussels (Flagey), Belgium (06/14/2011-06/18/2011)
• Running Time: 34 min. 11 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic
• Written: 1892

Charpentier, Gustave : Didon, for voices & orchestra

• Conductor: Hervé Niquet
• Notes: Brussels (Flagey), Belgium (06/14/2011-06/18/2011)
• Running Time: 30 min. 39 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic
• Written: 1887

Charpentier, Gustave : La Vie du Poète, symphony-drama for soloists, chorus & orchestra

• Performers: Alain Buet (Bass); Sabine Devieilhe; Bernard Richter
• Conductor: Hervé Niquet
• Notes: Antwerp (De Singel), Belgium (06/21/2011-06/24/2011)
• Running Time: 13 min. 31 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic
• Form: Orchestral

Charpentier, Gustave : La Fête des myrtes, for chorus & orchestra

• Conductor: Hervé Niquet
• Notes: Antwerp (De Singel), Belgium (06/21/2011-06/24/2011)
• Running Time: 4 min. 18 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic