French composer Édouard-Victoire-Antoine
Lalo (1823-1892) will be forever remembered for his Symphonie espagnole for violin and orchestra written in 1874 for famous
virtuoso, Pablo de Sarasate. However, his compositional output, whilst not
huge, was varied covering chamber music, many orchestral works including concertos
and a symphony, as well as three operas and two ballets.
Lalo also wrote a
good number of songs all of which have been recorded by baritone, Tassis
Christoyannis www.amo-massis.eu/artists/tassis-christoyannis/biography
and
pianist, Jeff Cohen http://jeffcohen.weebly.com
on
a two disc set from Aparte www.apartemusic.com
 |
| 2CD AP110 |
L'Ombre de Dieu (The
Shadow of God) (1848), a setting of a text by Alfred Lehugeur, opens with an
attractive little rhythmic piano theme from Jeff Cohen before Tassis
Christoyannis enters with his strong, rich baritone voice bringing a lovely
sweep to the vocal part. This song has the lighter feel of a French operatic
piece.
It is Antoine Flobert who has provided the text for Adieu au desert (Farewell to the Desert) (1848)
which has a gentle, relaxed piano opening, beautifully realised by Cohen with Christoyannis
bringing varied dynamics and emotion.
Six Romances
populaires de Pierre-Jean de Béranger open with La Pauvre Femme (The Poor
Woman) where Lalo again provides a rather rhythmic, staccato piano part before
Christoyannis carefully and beautifully shapes this rather sentimental text, achieving
an impressive result. There is a lovely
flowing, yet rhythmically pointed, piano part to Beaucoup d'amour (So Much
Love) where this baritone brings a long breathed, wonderfully controlled
phrasing. Le Suicide is very finely
characterised with superb vocal control through moments of intense feeling in an
impressive performance of this more deeply felt song.
Si j'étais un petit
oiseau (If I Were a Little Bird) brings
a rippling piano motif that occurs throughout with Christoyannis bringing just
the right touch to this charming song. In Les
Petits Coups (The Little Gulps) Lalo
provides a rather four square piano accompaniment but Christoyannis finds all the
wry humour in this setting. Le Vieux
Vagabond (The Old Vagabond) opens
with a more serious feel for both piano and baritone, beautifully done with
subtle changes in tension and passion, Christoyannis bringing a real operatic
command.
Le Novice, Op. 5 is
a setting of a text by Hippolyte Stupuy and has a gentle, slow opening for the
piano before this baritone brings a gentle atmospheric feeling. This song rises
in dynamics and feeling through passages of varying emotion with some intensely
felt moments for the piano, both bringing out all the feeling of this text.
The second disc commences with Six Mélodies, Op. 17 (1856),
all settings of texts by Victor Hugo. Tassis Christoyannis brings moments
of real power to the rhythmically buoyant Guitare
(Guitar), showing what a very fine voice he has, in this rather attractive
song. Puisqu'ici-bas toute âme (Since
down here, every soul) is finely characterised, full of subtle, finely
controlled emotion before the very fine L'Aube
naît (Daybreak arrives) where both
pianist and baritone bring much sustained feeling to the carefully nuanced
emotion.
There are some lovely piano rhythms and phrases that give a
lovely lift to Dieu qui sourit et qui
donne (God, who smiles and who
provides) with Christoyannis rising high before some lovely hushed moments,
finely controlled. The gentle Oh ! quand
je dors (Oh! Whilst I am asleep) rises
in subtle feeling only to find its quite reflective nature. This fine song is beautifully done. Amis, vive l'orgie (My friends, long live the bacchanalia) is full of life and energy,
bringing out Christoyannis’ fine flexibility yet always retaining a feel for
the text. There is some fine fluent accompaniment from Cohen in the strong
piano part.
Chanson à boire (Drinking Song) has a link to Amis, vive l'orgie in that they are both
from Victor Hugo’s play Lucrèce Borgia. It is another buoyant, immensely
enjoyable song full of fun and vigour. Ballade
à la lune (Ballad to the Moon) is
a surprisingly lively song until one follows the later part of Alfred de
Musset’s text. Both artists bring much finely controlled feeling.
Trois Mélodies sur
des poèms d’Alfred de Musset opens with
a quiet, finely shaped A une fleur
(To a Flower) with Christoyannis
bringing a gentle sense of intense feeling. The spirits are raised with a
finely constructed Chanson de Barberine
(Song of Barberine), full of rhythmic pulse, finely shaped by this baritone
and with much beautifully controlled passion and some superb hushed moments. La Zuecca (The Zuecca) has a firm
rhythmic bounce pointed up by Jeff Cohen with Tassis Christoyannis’ fine voice
exquisitely controlled through the varying dynamics and emotion.
Aubade (1872) is
a gently rolling song with a gentle pulse, Christoyannis bringing such fine
control.
Trois Mélodies brings
a mixture of settings, first La Fenaison (Haymaking) a setting of
texts under a pseudonym Stella, believed to be the nickname of an English
aristocrat Penelope Devereaux (d. 1607). It is a buoyant song, receiving a subtly
nuanced performance here. Souvenir
(Memory) is another Victor Hugo setting with a gently felt piano opening before
this baritone provides a beautifully delivered performance, perfectly paced
with fine control; quite lovely. There is an equally gentle L'Esclave (The Slave Girl) with more
fine control and sensitive restrained emotion in this setting of texts by
Théophile Gautier.
Cinq Lieder (1879) opens
with Prière de l'enfant à son réveil (The
Child’s Prayer on Awakening) with a text by Alphonse de Lamartine, that
rises from a gentle opening full of feeling, Christoyannis exceptional in his
fine emotional control of this song. Armand Silvestre provides the text for the
stormy À celle qui part (To she who is
departing), that opens with a florid descending piano motif in a song that
is full of power and strength, conjuring up the stormy nature of the verses.
Tristesse (Sadness),
with words again by Armand Silvestre has a melancholy, quiet, slow opening for
piano beautifully shaped by Cohen. When Christoyannis
enters he brings a wonderfully felt emotion. The Alphonse de Lamartine setting,
Viens ! (Come!) picks up the pace in
a song that brings many varied tempi and dynamics all brought out finely by
these two artists. La Chanson de
l'alouette (The Song of the Lark) sets words by Victor de Laprade. It has a
lovely delicate, rhythmic piano part with this baritone bringing a joyful,
infectious quality.
Oboist Johannes Grosso joins Tassis Christoyannis and Jeff
Cohen in the Albert Delpit, Le Chant Breton
(Breton Song). The oboe opens plaintively before the piano gently and
tentatively takes over. The oboe returns before baritone, piano and oboe lead
forward in this rather wonderful song, full of intense feeling and a lovely French,
or perhaps I should say Breton, atmosphere.
Marine has a gentle
piano opening with Christoyannis bringing more exquisite control and feeling to
this André Theuriet setting, rising to moments of great power and passion. André
Theuriet also provides the text for the final song Le Rouge-gorge (Robin Redbreast) that has a lovely skittish little
piano opening before Christoyannis provides a beautifully phrased performance, all
the while the piano adding a rhythmic bird like accompaniment.
These songs cover a wide range, some deep and emotional,
operatic passion, others light and joyful but full of Gallic charm. Tassis
Christoyannis has a remarkably fine voice that lifts even the most lightweight
of songs. In the best of these songs he brings a power and depth that is quite
wonderful. Pianist, Jeff Cohen is more than a mere accompanist, bringing a
sensitivity that helps lift these songs.
They receive a very fine recording and there are useful
booklet notes as well as full texts and English translations. It is good to
have all of Lalo’s songs brought together in such strong performances.
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