Poulenc - Aubade · Les biches · Les animaux modèles / Pascal Rogé · Charles Dutoit

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
With the exception of the waltz and the Satie orchestrations, all the music on this disc is from Poulenc's ballets. The suites offer major portions of their scores; Aubade doubles as a one-movement piano concerto. The remaining works are movements he contributed to collaborative efforts involving other composers, as well. If there is a masterpiece on this disc, it is the Aubade, a refined combination of modern harmonies and rococo sensibilities, delicately scored for only 18 instruments, with a particularly expressive piano part. The others offer the composer's usual charm, with an added dark edge to Les Animaux, written in the shadow of France's defeat in 1940. The performances are excellent; Rogé is supple, with an underlying firmness, and Dutoit judges the weight of the music perfectly. The orchestra is one of France's best, and the recorded sound first rate. --Paul Turok

Tracks:

Les Biches, FP 36 - Suite: 1. Rondeau (Largo - Allegro)
Les Biches, FP 36 - Suite: 2. Adagietto
Les Biches, FP 36 - Suite: 3. Rag-Mazurka (Moderato - Allegro Molto)
Les Biches, FP 36 - Suite: 4. Andantino
Les Biches, FP 36 - Suite: 5. Final (Presto)
Les Animaux Modeles, FP 111 - Suite: 1. Le Petit Jour - Dawn (Tres Calme)
Les Animaux Modeles, FP 111 - Suite: 2. Le Lion Amoureux - The Amorous Lion (Passionnement Anime)
Les Animaux Modeles, FP 111 - Suite: 3. L'Homme Entre Deux Ages Et Ses Deux Maitresses - A Middle-Aged Man And His Two Mistresses (Presstissimo)
Les Animaux Modeles, FP 111 - Suite: 4. La Mort Et Le Bucheron - Death And The Woodcutter (Tres Lent)
Les Animaux Modeles, FP 111 - Suite: 5. Les Deux Coqs - Two Roosters (Tres Modere)
Les Animaux Modeles, FP 111 - Suite: 6. Le Repas De Midi - Midday Meal (Tres doux, Calme Et Heureux)
Matelote Provencale, FP 153: No.5 From 'La Guirlande De Campra'
Pastourelle, FP 45: No. 8 From 'L'Eventail De Jeanne'
Valse, FP 17: No.5 From 'Album Des Six'
Discours Du General: Nos.3 & 4 From 'Les Maries De La Tour Eiffel'
La Baigneuse de Trouville,FP 23: Nos.3 & 4 From 'Les Maries De La Tour Eiffel'
Auvade, FP 51 - Concerto Choregraphique Pour Piano Et Dix-Huit Instruments: 1. Toccata (Lento Et Pesante; Molto Animato)
Auvade, FP 51 - Concerto Choregraphique Pour Piano Et Dix-Huit Instruments: 2. Recitatif: Les Compagnes De Diane (Larghetto)
Auvade, FP 51 - Concerto Choregraphique Pour Piano Et Dix-Huit Instruments: 3. Rondeau: Diane Et Compagnes (Allegro) - 4. Entree De Diane (Piu Mosso) - 5. Sortie De Diane (Ceder Un Peu)
Auvade, FP 51 - Concerto Choregraphique Pour Piano Et Dix-Huit Instruments: 6. Presto: Toilette De Diane (Presto)
Auvade, FP 51 - Concerto Choregraphique Pour Piano Et Dix-Huit Instruments: 7. Recotatif: Introduction La Variation De Diane (Larghetto)
Auvade, FP 51 - Concerto Choregraphique Pour Piano Et Dix-Huit Instruments: 8. Andante: Variation De Diane (Andante Con Moto)
Auvade, FP 51 - Concerto Choregraphique Pour Piano Et Dix-Huit Instruments: 9. Allegro Feroce: Desepoir De Diane
Auvade, FP 51 - Concerto Choregraphique Pour Piano Et Dix-Huit Instruments: Conclusion: Adieux Et Depart De Diane
Deux Preludes Posthumes Et Une Gnossienne, FP 104: 1. Fete Donnee Par Des Chevaliers Normands En L'honneur D' Une Jeune Demoiselle
Deux Preludes Posthumes Et Une Gnossienne, FP 104: 2. 1st Prelude Du Nazareen
Deux Preludes Posthumes Et Une Gnossienne, FP 104: 3. 3rd Gnossienne

Amazon.com

With the exception of the waltz and the Satie orchestrations, all the music on this disc is from Poulenc's ballets. The suites offer major portions of their scores; Aubade doubles as a one-movement piano concerto. The remaining works are movements he contributed to collaborative efforts involving other composers, as well. If there is a masterpiece on this disc, it is the Aubade, a refined combination of modern harmonies and rococo sensibilities, delicately scored for only 18 instruments, with a particularly expressive piano part. The others offer the composer's usual charm, with an added dark edge to Les Animaux, written in the shadow of France's defeat in 1940. The performances are excellent; Rogé is supple, with an underlying firmness, and Dutoit judges the weight of the music perfectly. The orchestra is one of France's best, and the recorded sound first rate. --Paul Turok

Customer Reviews:

Colorful and nostalgic.......2000-05-29

All of this is vintage Poulenc and it's hard to imagine how there could be two artists more suited to interpreting this music than Dutoit and Roge. With his patrician finesse, Dutoit conveys all the jazz-inflected wit, color and nostalgic longing one could wish for. The recorded sound is just as glamorous and even more detailed than he usually obtains with the Montreal Symphony and having a French orchestra at his disposal pays real dividends in terms of idiomatic flair. After his traversal of Poulenc's music for solo piano, Roge is practically self-recommending in Aubade. One can readily identify the same authority and understanding (not to mention virtuosity) that makes his solo piano set so successful. Every piece on this disc lives up to expectations (and then some) but if I had to pick a favorite, it would Les Animaux Modeles. It's an astonishingly beautiful and touching piece at times with surging melodies and gorgeous orchestration. The evocation of a sunrise is somewhat reminiscent of Ravel's Lever du Jour from Daphnis et Chloe although this is certainly not a case of plagiarism. A strongly recommendable disc.

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