Customer Reviews

Le Roi David

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is King David as originally heard. There are no strings except for the string bass, and piano is used instead of harp. Rene' Morax (the producer) allowed Honneger the use of only 14 instruments to accompany a 100 voice choir. Honeggers orchestra is much like a little jazz band; in fact some of the more spirited music is a little jazzy. Other pieces recall J.S.Bach, but all is assimilated into the composers versatile style.This performance is sonically excellent, vocally exciting; but the narrator seems too bombastic, drowning out much of Honeggers magnificent score. (Maybe it's because I don't parle vous Francaise!) All in all, a remarkable recording. If you think sacred choral music is pablum, try this.

I bought this recording because I was singing in the Ann Arbor Cantata Singers last spring and we were performing this work. Sometimes it is hard to understand a whole work and even the choruses without the context of the orchestra and soloists. That is especially true of this piece.

It is a pretty good work and the audience seems to really like it. This recording is very good. It is in French so the narration isn't as useful to an English speaker. However, the drama of the voice and the narrator's phrasing do help even an English speaker understand something about how it should go.

Honegger is one of those composers whose star isn't has high in the heavens as it once was. However, I think it should be higher than it is at present. He certainly was an able composer and this piece shows a lot of what he is capable of.