Canteloube: Songs of the Auvergne (selection)

“In her second volume, including 'Chut, Chut' and 'Lo Fiolairé', Véronique Gens does more than confirm her credentials. The voice is bright, forward, notably clear in diction and lightly responsive to nuance, backed by prominent woodwind and lean strings.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2007 ****

“For her second CD devoted to Joseph Canteloube's vocal music, Véronique Gens has looked beyond the celebrated, much-recorded Chants d'Auvergne, and back to Tryptique, composed in 1913. A setting of three poems by Roger Frêne, its lush, not to say extravagant orchestration anticipates Canteloube's later folksong settings. The first section, "Offrande à l'été" is an ardent love song... The central "Lunaire" has a more mysterious, yearning feel... The finale, "Hymne dans l'aurore" is an ecstatic prayer to Pan, celebrating every wonder of... The final cry, "Mon âme s'ouvre ainsi qu'une aube étincellante! O Pan!" is marked in the score crescendo en grandissant, and Gens, Serge Baudo and the Lille Orchestra rise to the moment with splendid force.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2007

“For her second CD devoted to Joseph Canteloube's vocal music, Véronique Gens has looked beyond the celebrated, much-recorded Chantsd'Auvergne, and back to Tryptique, composed in 1913. Canteloube dedicated this to Maggie Teyte but the First World War interrupted its progress, and it was not until 1923 that Jane Campredon gave the premiere, with the Colonne orchestra conducted by Gabriel Pierné.
A setting of three poems by Roger Frêne, its lush, not to say extravagant orchestration anticipates Canteloube's later folksong settings. The influence of both Ravel and Debussy is obvious, maybe also Stravinsky (it was, after all, the year of The Rite of Spring). The first section, 'Offrande à l'été' is an ardent love song, with some pretty giddy scoring for harps. The central 'Lunaire' has a more mysterious, yearning feel, with a lovely little dissonance at the word 'cendre', as the poet imagines the leaves turning to ash. The finale, 'Hymne dans l'aurore' is an ecstatic prayer to Pan, celebrating every wonder of nature. The final cry, 'Mon âme s'ouvre ainsi qu'une aube étincellante! O Pan!' is marked in the score crescendo en grandissant, and Gens, Serge Baudo and the Lille orchestra rise to the moment with splendid force. It is really surprising that this work has not become better known; any soprano wanting to look beyond the obvious repertory should welcome it.
The rest of the disc is taken up with those remaining Auvergne songs not included on the earlier issue, conducted by Jean-Claude Casadesus.
Once again, Gens proves that an authentic knowledge of the dialect is a great advantage.
The much later group from Chants de France makes a pleasant end to the recital, but it is Tryptique that has to be heard.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“[Véronique Gens’] singing is smooth and delicate, with plenty of body in the tone for some of the earthier movements…and the Lille Orchestra bring out all the little details in the score…This will no doubt become the interpretation for the present decade. It deserves to be a success, and then maybe the same forces will let us hear some of Canteloube’s enormous body of other songs.” Gramophone

“Each decade finds its favourite soloist for the Chants d'Auvergne: in the 1960s it was Natania Devrath, the 70s had Victoria de los Angeles, the 80s Kiri Te Kanawa, the 90s Dawn Upshaw.
They weren't French, whereas Véronique Gens is quite at home in the dialect, as she comes from the Auvergne. Her singing is smooth and delicate, with plenty of body in the tone for some of the earthier moments.
In all, five volumes of Auvergne songs were published between 1923-54. Each singer naturally includes 'Baïlèro', the most famous, and Gens doesn't disappoint in this. The 20 other songs range from the sad 'Uno jionto postouro', the lament of the girl whose lover has deserted her, to 'Malurous qu'o ono Fenno', the jaunty exposé of unhappy couples.
Jean-Claude Casadesus and the Lille Orchestra bring out all the little details in the score, such as the lovely woodwind solos that link the three Bourrées. Perhaps this will become the interpretation for the present decade.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010