Berlioz - L'Enfance du Christ / Gens · Agnew · Lallouette · Naouri · Caton · La Chapelle Royale · Herreweghe

Hector Berlioz (Artist), Philippe Herreweghe (Artist), Véronique Gens (Artist), Paul Agnew (Artist), Orchestre des Champs Élysées (Artist), La Chapelle Royale (Artist), Collegium Vocale (Artist), Olivier Lallouette (Artist), Laurent Naouri (Artist), Frédéric Caton (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 11, 1997)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
• ASIN: B0000007BN
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #418,263 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Part I: Le Song D'Herode, Prologue. Le Recitant: Dans La Creche, Ce Temps - Paul Agnew

2. Part I: Le Song D'Herode, Scene I. Marche Nocturne: Qui Vient? - Olivier Lallouette

3. Part I: Le Song D'Herode, Scene II. Air Herode: Toujours Ce Reve! - Laurent Naouri

4. Part I: Le Song D'Herode, Scene IV. Herode Et Les Devins: Les Sages De Judee, O Roi... - Laurent Naouri

5. Part I: Le Song D'Herode, Scene IV. Les Devins: La Voix Dit Vrai, Seigneur - La Chapelle Royal Collegium Vox

6. Part I: Le Song D'Herode, Scene IV. Herode: Eh Bien, Eh Bien! Par Le Fer Qu'ils Perissent! - Laurent Naouri

7. Part I: Le Song D'Herode, Scene V. L'etable De Bethleem: O Mon Cher Fils, Donne Cette Herbe Tendre - Veronique Gens/Olivier Lallouette

8. Part I: Le Song D'Herode, Scene IV. Chor D'Anges: Joseph! Marie! Ecoutez-nous! - La Chapelle Royalle Collegium Vox

Disc: 2

1. Part II: La Fute En Egypte. Ov - Orch Des Champs Elysees/Philippe Herreweghe

2. Part II: La Fute En Egypte. L'Adieu Des Bergers A La Sainte Famille: Ll S'en Va Loin De La Terre - Frederic Caton

3. Part II: La Fute En Egypte. Le Repos De La Sainte Famille: Les Pelerins Etant Venus - Paul Agnew

4. Part III: L'Arrivee A Sais, Ov - Paul Agnew

5. Part III: L'Arrivee A Sais, Scene I. L'Interieur De La Ville De Sais: Dans Cette Ville Immense - Veronique Gens/Olivier Lallouette

6. Part III: L'Arrivee A Sais, Scene II. L'Interieur De La Maison Des Ismaelites: Entrez, Entrez... - Frederic Caton/Olivier Lallouette

7. Part III: L'Arrivee A Sais, Scene II. Trio - Orch De Champ Elysees/Philippe Herreweghe

8. Part III: L'Arrivee A Sais, Scene II (Fin). Vous Pleurez, Jeune Mere... - Frederic Caton/Veronique Gens/Olivier Naouri

9. Part III: L'Arrivee A Sais, Epilogue. Le Recitant: Ce Fut Ainsi Que Par Un Infidele - Paul Agnew

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The way Berlioz wanted it!, February 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Berlioz - L'Enfance du Christ / Gens · Agnew · Lallouette · Naouri · Caton · La Chapelle Royale · Herreweghe (Audio CD)

Obviously, L'Enfance du Christ is a very popular and much recorded piece. Yet, there is probably no other recording that comes as close to Berlioz's original design as this one. Berlioz wrote this oratorio in a deliberately "old-fashioned," pre-classical, style. He wanted it to feel timeless, transcending the immediate aesthetics of his age. Herreweghe's version of L'Enfance, brought to life by performers who specialize in baroque music, achieves this line-straddling effect wanted by Berlioz. The result is a fresh look at the old masterpiece, both magical in its mythological roots and realistic in its psychological depth. Paul Agnew as the Recitant deserves a special mention: the beauty of his "bittersweet" timbre and the breadth of his register are shown here to the greatest advantage.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime beauty of simplicity, September 25, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Berlioz - L'Enfance du Christ / Gens · Agnew · Lallouette · Naouri · Caton · La Chapelle Royale · Herreweghe (Audio CD)

What a beautiful rendition! Translucent misty world of the Christ's Childhood. When you talk about Berlioz, you often think of Colin Davis, Gardiner or even Dutoit. Well, when it comes to this particular work, L'Enfance Du Christ, Herreweghe is the absolute best. Maybe because he is the expert of Bach or other renaissance/Baroc/classic composers and this work is a kind of revival of the old music. Also because it's still a religeous work and Herreweghe does the best in this field. Now I'll definitely go for the other Herreweghe's work on Berlioz -Nuits D'ete-. I'm so sure he did it right.