Chausson: Poème de l'amour et de la mer; Chanson perpétuelle; Mélodies

Ernest Chausson (Composer), Armin Jordan (Conductor), Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Michel Dalberto (Performer), Jessye Norman (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Michel Dalberto, Jessye Norman
• Orchestra: Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Armin Jordan
• Composer: Ernest Chausson
• Audio CD (May 20, 2003)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Apex
• ASIN: B00006L9RU
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,004 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #79 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Norman, Jessye

Track Listings

1. Poème de l'amour et de la mer, for voice & orchestra, Op. 19: La Fleur des eaux

2. Poème de l'amour et de la mer, for voice & orchestra, Op. 19: Interlude

3. Poème de l'amour et de la mer, for voice & orchestra, Op. 19: La Mort de l'Amour

4. Chanson perpétuelle, for soprano & orchestra (or piano quintet), Op. 37

5. Le Colibri, for voice & piano, Op. 2/7

6. Sérénade Italienne, for voice & piano, Op. 2/5

7. La dernière feuille, for voice & piano, Op. 2/4

8. Les Papillons, for voice & piano, Op. 2/3

9. Le Charme, for voice & piano, Op. 2/2

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jessye Norman in her element, July 21, 2008

By 

Ralph Moore "Ralph operaphile" (Bishop's Stortford, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Chausson: Poème de l'amour et de la mer; Chanson perpétuelle; Mélodies (Audio CD)

Jessye Norman's sumptuous voice glides over the Wagnerian chromatic side-shifts in these exquisite songs and reminds us that she is the best non-French singer of French melodies. By "glide", I do not mean to suggest that there is anything superficial in her singing; she subtly suggests a whole, wide range of emotions, sometimes fining her huge voice down to beautifully controlled pianissimi, sometimes opening up gloriously, always changing the colour to suit the narrative of this melancholy tale. Only Janet Baker approaches Norman for beauty of tone - or Souzay, if you want a true, masculine, gallic voice. Gorgeous tone from Jordan and the Monte-Carlo orchestra; nothing rushed, but nothing dragging - and lovely instrumental accompaniments in the smaller scale songs.

So why only four stars? Two reasons: short measure by today's greedy CD owner standards - only 45 minutes of music - and, two, no libretto - standard with bargain issues, but annoying nonetheless.