The Complete Mélodies of Paul Paray
The renowned French conductor and composer, Paul
Paray, was born in 1886 in Le Tréport. After
studying music at the Maîtrise Saint-Evode in
Rouen where he composed his first works, he
continued his musical studies at the Paris
Conservatory.
Paray was awarded the coveted Premier Grand Prix
de Rome in 1911 for his cantata, Yanitza. From
1911-1913 at the Villa Medici in Rome he
composed most of his mélodies. Paray was elected
associate conductor of the Lamoureux Orchestra
of Paris in 1919 and named director of that
ensemble the following year. In successive
years, he was to assume several other conducting
posts: at the Concerts Colonne, Monte Carlo, the
Paris Opera, the National Orchestra, the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra-with which he made several
highly acclaimed recordings and then, for the
remainder of his life, as guest conductor
throughout the world.
Paray left an all too small but diverse corpus
of works that includes three symphonies, a
Fantasy for piano and orchestra, a Mass, an
oratorio, a ballet, cantatas, chamber music,
sonatas, piano pieces, and some choral music. He
died in 1979 at Monte Carlo at age ninety-three.
Paray's poetic impetus is given free rein in his
exquisite mélodies. This recording represents
the complete known works for solo voice of Paul
Paray. They are all published by Editions
Jobert, Paris. This is first complete recording
of his songs, "Affairs of the Heart." Also
included here are premiere recordings of his
three songs for choir and orchestra. The CD
booklet contains original language texts (French
and Latin) with English translations as well as
program notes on each of the works recorded.
CD #1 Song titles:
Songs with orchestral accompaniment:
1 Le papillon
2 Infidelité
3 La dernière feuille
4 Serment
5 Après l'orage
6 Adieux
7 Après le bal
8 Désir de mort
9 Villanelle
10 La promesse
11 Le chevrier
12 La plainte
13 Il est d'étranges soirs
14 Nocturne (for violin and orchestra)
Three songs for choir and orchestra:
15 Soleils de Septembre
16 L'aurore vermeille
17 Nuit tombante
CD #2 Song titles (Song for voice and piano):
1 Emprise
2 Nuit d'Italie
3 Chanson violette
4 Sépulture
5 Champs de bataille
6 En un pays de Cocagne
7 Vocalise-Étude
8 Chanson napolitaine
9 Embarquement pour l'idéal
10 Viole
11 Mortes les fleurs
12 Paroles à la lune
13 Dans les bois
14 Le Poète et la Muse
15 Chaque chose a sa petite place
16 In manus tuas
17 Panis Angelicus
The Performers:
Ruth Lapeyre has been performing and teaching
voice in the Detroit area since 1985. After
winning several scholarships she took up vocal
studies at New Orleans' Loyola University with
Mary Tortorich and Larry Wyatt. She has been
awarded many prizes in opera auditions of
different cities of the USA and has continued
studies with Jan Albright and Eugene Bossart.
She performs solo works in orchestral concerts
and chamber music recitals and often appears in
opera, oratorio and Mass performances.
Nadine Deleury, cellist, was born in Arras,
France, near Paul Paray's native city, Le
Tréport. Following studies at the Paris
Conservatory with André Navarra and with Aldo
Parisot at Yale University, she moved to Detroit
where she holds the position of principal chair
in the Michigan Opera Theater Orchestra and
teaches cello at Oakland University, among many
other musical activities.
Adam Stepniewski is a graduate of the
prestigious Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw,
Poland. Prior to his present position as
Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra, he was Assistant
Concertmaster of the Radio Orchestra of
Copenhagen and of the National Philharmonic in
Warsaw.
Eric Everett, a vocal student of Mjerial Bigalli
and Mario Laurenti, has performed with the
Florida Lyric Opera Company and is a frequent
soloist with the Assumption Grotto Choir and
Orchestra.
Eduard Perrone studied piano with Lee Luvisi,
composition with Moritz Bomhard, and orchestral
conducting with Jorge Mester. He was ordained a
priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1978.
He is currently devoted to performing, recording
and publishing, in cooperation with Editions
Jobert, Paris, the music of Paul Paray.
The Assumption Grotto Orchestra & Choir,
Detroit, Michigan
From the Critics...
"This two-disk set of Paray's complete songs is
a labor of love. Indeed, the best of these songs
deserve to join the standard repertoire of the
French mélodie. Paray seems to have found his
own voice early on, and the craftsmanship is
consistently high. Ruth Lapeyre [is] a soprano
whose bright, finely focused sound seems
well-suited to Paray's music....she's a
sensitive and often stylish singer. Perrone
clearly knows the music inside and out."
Gramophone Magazine
"In many ways [Paray's] more interesting than
other contemporary French composers who enjoy
considerably more celebrity. I am impressed by
the sound which in the orchestral portions
matches the clarity, depth, richness, and
perspective of anything by the major labels."
American Record Guide
"Each work displays a sensitivity alive to the
nuances of language and the preservation of
mood, with a wonderful attention to creative
orchestral detail. [Ruth Lapeyre] has the
intimate manner necessary for this music, and
achieves some splendid effects. The orchestra
comes up a winner with a sensitive and nuanced
performance. Perone's conducting and
accompaniment invatriably find the right tempo
and dynamic balance. Highly recommended to
listeners and fine singers in search of fresh
material alike." Fanfare Magazine
"There is sweetness pervading this music,
whether secular or sacred. If you have any
affinity for the quintessentially diaphanous
French touch with these matters, I can highly
recommend this string of musical pearls. I
confess I succumbed, especially to the
orchestral songs."
Crisis Magazine
|
