Un Frisson Français - A century of French song - Onyx: ONYX4030 - CD or download

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The familiar here appears in unusual contexts and alongside a scattering of rarities. The performers are at one in their fluency, delicate rubato and avoidance of Anglo-Saxon archness, within... — BBC Music Magazine, November 2008, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 29th Sep 2008
Catalogue No: ONYX4030
Label: Onyx
Length: 78 minutes

BBC Music Magazine Awards

2009

Vocal Finalist

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Bizet: Chanson d'Avril

Work length2:34

$1.00

$1.40

Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Franck, C: Nocturne

Work length3:50

$1.00

$1.40

Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Lalo: Guitare Op. 17, No. 1

Work length1:44

$1.00

$1.40

Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Gounod: Au rossignol

Work length4:49

$1.00

$1.40

Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre, Op. 40

Work length2:08

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Chabrier: Les Cigales

Work length3:47

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Paladilhe: Psyché

Work length3:14

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Chausson: Les Papillons, Op. 2 No. 3 (Gautier)

Work length1:25

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Bachelet: Chère nuit

Work length5:32

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Duparc: Au pays ou se fait la guerre

Work length5:21

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Ravel: Le paon (Histoires naturelles)

Work length5:01

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Caplet: Le corbeau et le renard

Work length3:42

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Roussel: Réponse d'une épouse sage, Op. 35 No. 2

Work length3:23

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Messiaen: La fiancée perdue

Work length2:42

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Debussy: Colloque sentimental (Fêtes galantes II)

Work length4:11

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Fauré: Vocalise-étude

Work length3:21

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Hahn, R: A Chloris

Work length3:22

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Satie: Le chapelier

Work length0:57

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Honegger: Trois Chansons de la Petite Sirène H 63

Work length1:34

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

I. Chanson des sirènes

Track length1:34

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Honegger: Brezairola

Work length1:00

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

II. Berceuse de la Sirène

Track length1:00

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Honegger: La souris d'Angleterre

Work length0:26

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

III. Chanson de la poire

Track length0:26

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Canteloube: La Dame de Monte Carlo

Work length4:05

$1.00

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Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Brezairola

Track length4:05

$1.00

$1.40

Rosenthal, Manuel: La souris d'Angleterre

Work length2:58

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$1.40

Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

Poulenc: La Dame de Monte Carlo

Work length7:00

$1.50

$2.10

Susan Graham, Malcolm Martineau

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About

Undoubtedly ONYX’s highlight of the year is the first recital disc for 5 years by the great American mezzo Susan Graham. Beloved by audiences the world over, this outstanding recording is sure to be much in demand worldwide.

The unique programme provides a celebration of French song in an unusual way – instead of groups of songs by several composers Susan has opted for a single song by 22 different composers from Bizet to Poulenc. This is the programme she and Malcolm Martineau her regular accompanist took on tour in the USA and Europe in 2007/2008. Reviews were unanimous “confirms Susan Graham as the ideal package she is” (Music Web) “resistance is futile” (New York Times); superb, exquisite (Chicago Tribune)

Susan Graham is particularly at home in French repertoire, one of the few non-French singers recognised by the French themselves when they made her a Commandeur dans L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Susan refutes the idea that all French vocal music sounds the same: "This programme has everything: loud, soft, high, low, fast, slow, romantic, acidic."

Includes some surprises- Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre for example, known by everyone as a orchestral showpiece but in fact first written as a song, but hardly ever performed as such; and some favourites such as Hahn’s À Chloris and Canteloube’s Brezairola, but far more discoveries such as the gorgeous Psyché by Paladilhe and Bachelet’s ecstatic Chère Nuit.

Reviews

November 2008

The familiar here appears in unusual contexts and alongside a scattering of rarities. The performers are at one in their fluency, delicate rubato and avoidance of Anglo-Saxon archness, within an acoustic that combines intimacy and atmosphere.

2010

With Susan Graham in radiant form and Malcolm Martineau not just an accompanist but an active partner in the project, 'Un frisson français' offers a unique survey of French mélodie from the mid–19th century to the mid–20th: 22 songs…one per composer.
Martineau describes the plan as a 'tasting menu', starting with Gounod, to whom he ascribes the launching of the genre of French mélodie. Even Ravel said that Gounod was 'the true founder of the mélodie in France' and his song 'Au rossignol' ('To the Nightingale') is included in the first of five sections – 'founding fathers', including Bizet, Franck, Lalo and Saint–Saëns. It is fascinating to hear the original version with piano of 'Danse macabre', Graham marvellously biting.
Martineau describes the sequence as 'loosely chronological', and one beauty of the scheme is that rare and forgotten composers are included, such as Paladilhe and Bachelet who are represented in late–Romantic mélodies with night and nature dominating themes. The third group – including Ravel and Debussy – takes us into the 20th century. Especially fascinating is André Caplet's setting of 'Le corbeau et le renard' ('The Crow and the Fox') with elaborate piano accompaniment.
Only rare songs are chosen for each composer and perhaps Martineau chose some of them for the colourful accompaniments, as in Chausson's fluttering accompaniment for his picture of the butterfly in 'Le papillon'. The fourth section has childhood as a common theme and the climactic section has only one song, much the longest, Poulenc's 'La dame de Monte-Carlo', to words by Jean Cocteau. It is like an encapsulated version of the operatic monodrama La voix humaine with the singer on the verge of a breakdown.
A rich collection in excellent sound: no one is likely to be disappointed.

November 2008

With Susan Graham in radiant form and Malcolm Martineau not just an accompanist but an active partner in the project, "Un frisson français" offers a unique survey of French mélodie from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th: 22 songs… one composer. A rich collection in excellent sound: no one is likely to be disappointed.

Un Frisson Français - A century of French song

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