A Verlaine Songbook: Carolyn Sampson sings settings of poems by Paul Verlaine

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The discovery of the disc are the songs by ‘Poldowski’ – a pseudonym for Régine Wieniawski…her songs prove nothing short of fabulous: warm, energetic and melodic, with a deep-set richness of... — BBC Music Magazine, February 2017, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 28th Oct 2016
Catalogue No: BIS2233
Label: BIS
Length: 79 minutes

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

Debussy: Fêtes galantes - Set 1

Work length5:35

$3.00

$3.90

$5.25

Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

No. 1, En sourdine

Track length0:53

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No. 2, Fantoches

Track length2:46

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No. 3, Clair de lune

Track length1:56

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Poldowski: Cythère

Work length2:54

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

Poldowski: En sourdine

Work length1:36

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

Poldowski: Colombine

Work length2:09

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

Poldowski: L'heure exquise

Work length3:32

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

Poldowski: Mandoline

Work length1:23

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

Ravel: Sur l'herbe, M. 53

Work length4:25

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

Josef Szulc: 10 Mélodies, Op. 83

Work length2:08

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

No. 1, Clair de lune

Track length2:08

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Severac: Le ciel est, par-dessus le toit ...

Work length3:00

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

Fauré: La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61

Work length20:06

$9.00

$11.70

$15.75

Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

No. 1, Une sainte en son auréole

Track length1:23

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No. 2, Puisque l'aube grandit

Track length2:47

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No. 3, La lune blanche luit dans les bois

Track length3:10

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No. 4, J'allais des chemins perfides

Track length2:10

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No. 5, J'ai presque peur, en vérité

Track length1:51

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No. 6, Avant que tu ne t'en ailles

Track length2:15

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No. 7, Donc, ce sera par un clair jour d'été

Track length1:42

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No. 8, N'est-ce pas?

Track length2:19

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No. 9, L'hiver a cessé

Track length2:29

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Excerpt, Chausson: Quatre Mélodies, Op. 13

Work length2:28

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

No. 1, Apaisement

Track length2:28

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Saint-Saëns: Le vent dans la plane (Verlane)

Work length2:06

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

Hahn, R: 7 Chansons grises

Work length5:39

$2.00

$2.60

$3.50

Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

No. 2, Tous deux

Track length2:49

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No. 5, L'heure exquise

Track length2:50

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Excerpt, Fauré: 2 Songs, Op. 46

Work length1:42

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

No. 2, Clair de lune

Track length1:42

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Bordes: Colloque Sentimental

Work length2:42

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

Debussy: Ariettes Oubliées (6)

Work length16:02

$6.00

$7.80

$10.50

Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

No. 1, C'est l'extase

Track length2:54

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No. 2, Il pleure dans mon cœur

Track length2:45

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No. 3, L'ombre des arbres

Track length2:28

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No. 4, Chevaux de bois

Track length2:26

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No. 5, Aquarelles I "Green"

Track length3:14

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No. 6, Aquarelles II "Spleen"

Track length2:15

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Severac: Soleils couchants (Paysages tristes)

Work length2:17

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Carolyn Sampson, Joseph Middleton
Recorded: January 2016
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Suffolk, England, UK

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About

In his poem Art poétique, Paul Verlaine declared that poetry should, above all, be musical: 'De la musique avant toute chose'. This quality in his work was already recognized by composers during his lifetime, and it is sometimes claimed that Verlaine has been set to music more often than any other poet after him. For their Verlaine Songbook, Carolyn Sampson and Joseph Middleton have selected songs by ten composers, including two complete cycles – Fauré's La Bonne Chanson and Debussy's Ariettes oubliées. The 33 songs on the disc set a total of 25 texts – several poems by Verlaine have attracted more than one composer, and Clair de lune appears three times, in versions by Debussy, Fauré and Joseph Szulc, while La lune blanche can be heard no less than four, in versions by Fauré, Ernest Chausson, Reynaldo Hahn and Poldowski – the pseudonym of the Belgian-born British composer Régine Wieniawski. Released in 2015 to critical acclaim, Carolyn Sampson's début recital disc, Fleurs (BIS2102), was a flower-themed anthology with songs by composers ranging from Purcell to Benjamin Britten via Schubert and Debussy. On the present disc the repertoire is rather more concentrated in time – all songs were composed during a span of 35 years (c. 1880-1915) – but the variety is nevertheless striking: a reflection of how different artistic temperaments have responded to the many-facetted Verlaine.

Reviews

February 2017

The discovery of the disc are the songs by ‘Poldowski’ – a pseudonym for Régine Wieniawski…her songs prove nothing short of fabulous: warm, energetic and melodic, with a deep-set richness of harmonic language. Sampson’s pure, shining tone matches the finesse of this repertoire and her lower range sometimes has the softness and subtle qualities of a deep flute…Middleton provides a bright cushion of support throughout

December 2016

[Sampson is] in excellent voice, her tone clear and silvery, her upper registers exquisite: Chausson’s ‘Apasiement’ sends shivers down your spine with its floated high pianissimos and suggestive portamentos…Middleton’s playing is marvellously fresh throughout, the thin dividing line between wit and melancholy superbly negotiated.

19th December 2016

A garland of roses to everyone concerned.

13th November 2016

Sampson adores these songs, caressing the text with her beautiful, pure soprano, particularly those that dwell on the correlation between nature and the emotions. Her partnership with Middleton is inspired, his intelligence always evident.

A Verlaine Songbook

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