Alain, Jehan

Average customer rating:

exquisite
An extremely important release

Alain: Organ Works, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Alain: Organ Works, Vol. 2
Louis Vierne: Complete Organ Symphonies
Widor: Complete Organ Works, Vol. 3

ASIN: B0000014EK
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Litanies
Petite Piece
Le Jardin Suspendu
Deuxieme Fant
Vars Sur Un Theme De Clement Janequin
Deux Danses A Agni Yavishta: 1ere Danse
Deux Danses A Agni Yavishta: 2eme Danse
Premier Prld Profane
Deuxieme Prld Profane
Chor Cistercien
Climat
Monodie
Ballade En Mode Phrygien
Chor Phrygien
Ste: Intro Et Vars
Ste: Scherzo
Ste: Chor

Customer Reviews:

exquisite.......2001-04-22

The death of Jehan-Ariste Alain, like all of the deaths caused by WWII, was a tragic, senseless one. A mere 29 years of age, Alain was quickly becoming a prominant composer of amazing versitility and life. One can only speculate what wonders he would have composed had be survived the dreaded war, but the output that we do have proves that he had extraordinary talent.

One of 2 volumes of his work released by the Naxos label, Vol. 1 showcases Alain's powerfully distinctive voice in a number of distinct formats, ranging from the one minute "le Jardin Suspendu," complete with an exotic atmosphere akin to contemporary Olivier Messiaen, the wonderfully precocious "Petite Piece," and his best known piece, "Litanies."

To me, it is is the fantastic organ playing of Eric Lebrun that brings Alain's already amazing pieces to greater life. His choice of the Cavaille-Coll organ of the Church of St-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts in Paris was the ideal one for these pieces. Alain meant for his pieces to be played on just such an organ, so one can hear the majesty of Alain and the organ mingling beautifully, with the highly competent Lebrun in command. There is no doubt that Lebrun is attuned to what Alain meant for the pieces to sound like. Listen to his rendition of the Gregorian-esque "Ballade en Mode Phrygien" and feel the shivers go down your spine.

The 2 cd set is a masterful look at one of the greatest 20th century composers that should have been, and with it being a Naxos release, the price is never a factor. Invest the few dollars and hear one of the great lps of organ music you will likely ever hear. It is well worth it.

An extremely important release.......2001-01-24

Paul Dukas, of "The Sorceror's Apprentice" fame, was one of the finest composition tutors of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Amongst his pupils were three significant organists: Messiaen - who is now seen as one of the most influential figures of the entire twentieth century; Langlais - who has become somewhat less prominent than Messiaen but was certainly no less important as a composer; and Alain - equally promising as a composer, but killed during military service in 1940 by a Nazi bomb blast. He was just 29 years of age.

It could be said of that tragedy that it robbed us of a great twentieth century composer. However, Alain lived and worked long enough to produce a large corpus of organ music, remarkably mature in style and full of contrasts, and as this two-disc series shows, though his life was cut so brutally short, it was by no means a waste of life.

That Alain shared a class with Messiaen and Langlais seems clear to me on listening to some of the music in this volume. The special harmonic techniques and exotic interests of Messiaen might perhaps be detected in "Le Jardin suspendu" or "Deux Danses a Agni Yavishta" (the first of which is barely a minute long); "Litanies" (one of his better known legacies) and "Variations sur un theme de Clement Janequin" bear testimony to an interest in ancient French musical ideas and traditions, shared by Langlais. Like both, Alain seems to have inherited a strong gift for melody and how best to accompany it; witness the simply delicious "Petite Piece" (track 2), the more extended "Deuxieme Fantasie" or the chorales "Cistercian" and "Phrygien," exquisitely crafted miniatures that harbour some truly innovate musical thinking behind their seemingly pedestrian titles. Alain was obviously a man of clear religious conviction, yet in writing for organ he also catered for the more secular side of performing, as can be seen in the "Deux Preludes Profanes," "Ballade en mode Phrygien" which is derived, Langlais-esque, from Gregorian chant and is thus on the cusp between liturgical and non-liturgical music, or the three-movement "Suite" that closes this programme.

This is music of great quality: well formed, interesting and deserving of a wide audience. Here, it is beautifully performed by Eric Lebrun, himself a pupil of the composer's organ-playing relative, Marie-Claire Alain. Seated at a genuine French Cavaille-Coll organ - the type of instrument for which the music for written - he delivers a beautiful performance: sensitive, brilliantly accurate and wholly communicative. With the Naxos budget price, this disc is certainly hard to resist, particularly for organists like myself!

Tracks:

Toccata BWV 565: Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Toccata De La Symphonie No. 5 In F Major, Op. 42
Toccata For Organ In G Major
Toccata For Organ In B Minor
Suite Gothique: I. Introduction - Choral
Suite Gothique: II. Menuet Gothique
Suite Gothique: III. Priere A Notre-Dame
Suite Gothique: IV. Toccata
Sonate No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 42: Final
Pieces De Fantaisie: Carillon De Westminster (3rd Suite Op. 54)
Pieces De Fantaisie: Toccata (2nd Suite Op. 53) In B Flat Minor
Toccata Sur L'Antienne: 'Cantemus Domino'
Litanies

Customer Reviews:

Also disappointed.......2007-06-18

Let me add my voice to those who are disappointed with the pieces. Ms. Alain is, as has been pointed out before, technically brilliant, but the feeling I got was "let's get this over with", not "I can't wait to play this!". There are a couple of what I call "mad scientist" pieces that are good introductions to those new to organ music, and this CD is great for that purpose. But the Bach and the Widor are way too rushed; these fantastic pieces are much to...well...fantastic, to be rushed. Every hemisemidemiquaver, every pedal tone, every flourish needs to be played, with the reverence that you give music of this stature. Here, while Ms. Alain obviously knows the music, she doesn't convince that she loves it. Three stars is sufficient, sadly...

too fast.......2006-07-01

I bought this CD for the Widor and Bach. Both are played too fast. In each case, either the artist was trying to finish as quickly as possible or the technician accelerated the recording to get another peice included. In either case, there was no music, only speed. I was very dissapointed, because those are truely outstanding pieces when played at a reasonable pace. I am still looking for an excellent recording of the Widor piece.

On the fence.......2005-09-06

I received this disc from a French visitor and have listened to it several times. I still have the uncomfortable feeling that Ms. Alain is playing these pieces for the umpteenth time, and while they are technically brilliant, they seem a bit soul-less to me. I have an old vinyl recording by E. Power Biggs (who seems to have been at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Romantic school of organ music), and those recordings of French organ music, many of which are on the CD in question, had real feeling behind them. Still, there is no denying the power of this music.

Magisterial.......2003-03-02

To properly appreciate this record one should (of course) hear it live, preferably in a church with excellent acoustics. It must be admitted, though, that this CD is the next best thing.
The depth and sonority of sound is difficult to match and it goes without saying that the artistry in both interpretation and handling the sheer difficulty of the pieces is unmatched.

The Romantic Era organ was the Golden Age for keyboard music - whether organ or piano. Yes, Bach will always be first in the pantheon of Pipe Gods (I count his Prelude in B Minor as the first Romantic Organ work). But the evolution of the physical instrument brought forth somthing new -the French organ with all the magnificent sonorities. With composers writing for that instrument, organ music reached an apotheosis before being dragged down by various "modern" works that must be explained to listeners in case they thought the sounds from the stage were noise or a malfunctioning keyboard.

This is a great CD that all lovers of organ music should own. The Toccatas heard here are some of the best and one is constantly aware of the great men who wrote them.

Masterful performance of great works.......2000-07-25

Alain performs some of the best toccatas written for organ in her typical, near-perfect style. This CD is far better in musical and recording quality than comparable compilations of popular organ music. You will also enjoy her CD, "Les Bis Pour Orgue" or "Organ Encores".

Average customer rating:

Things Visible and Invisible

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000006Z2
Release Date: 1994-08-02

Tracks:

Messe de le Pentecote: I. Entree: Tongues Of Fire
Messe de le Pentecote: II. Offertoire: Things Visible And Invisible
Messe de le Pentecote: III. Consecration: The Gift Of Wisdom
Messe de le Pentecote: IV. Communion: Birds And Springs
Messe de le Pentecote: V. Sortie: The Wind Of The Spirit
Trois Paraphrases Gregoriennes: I. Ave Maria, Ave Maris Stella, Op. 5, No. 2
Trois Paraphrases Gregoriennes: II. Mors et Resurrectio, Op. 5, No. 1
Trois Paraphrases Gregoriennes: III. Hymne d'Actions de Grace, 'Te Deum', Op. 5, No. 3
Trois Danses: I. Joys
Trois Danses: II. Sorrows
Trois Danses: III. Struggles

Jehan Alain: The Complete Works for Organ

Average customer rating:

Experience the music of a 20th century original

Jehan Alain: The Complete Works for Organ

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Vierne: Fantasy Pieces
Widor: Complete Organ Works, Vol. 3

ASIN: B0000064B1
Release Date: 1998-04-21

Tracks:

Ste: Intro & Var(s)
Ste: Scherzo-
Ste: Chor
Climat
Prld & Fugue
Choral Dorien
Choral Phrygien
Aria
Vars Sur Lucis Creator
Berceuse Sur Deux Notes Qui Cornent
1er Prld Profane
2e Prld Profane
Monodie
Ballade En Mode Phrygien
Chor Cistercien Pour Une Elevation
Vars Sur Un Theme De Clement Jannequin
Le Jardin Suspendu
Litanies

Tracks:

Fantasmagorie
Trois Danses: Joies
Trois Danses: Deuils
Trois Danses: Luttes
Grave
Petite Piece
Intermezzo
Lamento
1er Fant
2e Fant
Deux Danses A Agni Yavishta
Complainte A La Mode Ancienne
Fugue En Mode De Fa
Verset-Choral
Berceuse
De Jules Lemaitre
Chant Donne
Andante
Postlude Pour l'Office De Complies
Page 21 De 8er Cahier De Notes De Jehan Alain

Customer Reviews:

Experience the music of a 20th century original.......2001-01-26

Jehan Alain was a French organist and composer who was tragically killed while fighting the Germans near Saumur in 1940. At the time of his death, he was only 29 years old. Despite his youth, he left behind a significant body of organ music that could be mistaken for no other composer. This two CD set, running almost two and a half hours, includes all his published works, including some that have only recently come to light. Unlike many French composers who wrote for the organ on the vastest of canvases, many of Alain's works run five minutes or less.

One thing is for certain: Kevin Bowyer has technique to burn. He also gets wonderful sounds from the Marcussen organ at Tonbridge School. In fact, the recorded sound is excellent and atmospheric throughout. With one caveat, this is a wonderful introduction to the music of Alain. There is much here that is readily accessible to lovers of organ music including, but certainly not limited to, the two Chorals, Dorien and Phrygien; the two sets of variations, on Lucis Creator and on a theme by Clement Jannequin (although that attribution is in doubt); and the mystical pieces, Le Jardin Suspendu and the Postlude pour l'Office de Complies. There are also works that do not make their wonders readily apparent, but are well worth coming to know. Then, of course, there is Alain's most famous work, Litanies.

And it is Bowyer's performance of that piece about which I have reservations. He plays it breathtakingly fast--again, no question about technique--but the tempo is so rapid in places that, to me at least, the music sounds hectic. Repeated notes at the beginnings of phrases blur together, so that unless you knew that the notes were repeated, you'd hardly be able to tell. When he gives the music room to breathe, the performance is fine; if only he had done so throughout the piece! This performance, although perfectly acceptable, does not rise to the same level as the rest of this recording. And if you like your toccatas astonishingly fast, this performance will not disappoint.

So, if you only want Litanies and have no interest in Alain's other organ works, you'd be better off to purchase one of the many collections that include that piece. However, if you want a survey of the organ works of this original master, there is no need to hesitate.

Henri Dutilleux: L'Arbre des Songes (Concerto for Violin & Orchestra) / Timbres, Espace, Mouvement / Two Sonnets by Jean Cassou / Prière pour Nous Autres Charnels - BBC Philharmonic / Yan Pascal Tortelier
Average customer rating:

very impressive

Magnificent.

A master

Dutilleux at his best

Henri Dutilleux: L'Arbre des Songes (Concerto for Violin & Orchestra) / Timbres, Espace, Mouvement / Two Sonnets by Jean Cassou / Prière pour Nous Autres Charnels - BBC Philharmonic / Yan Pascal Tortelier
Henri Dutilleux , Jehan Ariste Alain , Yan Pascal Tortelier , Olivier Charlier , Neal Davies , Martyn Hill , and BBC Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Dutilleux | Dutilleux, Henri | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:

Dutilleux: Cello Concerto, Lutoslawski: Cello Concerto

Boulez: ...Explosante-fixe...

ASIN: B000000B0B
Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

Tree Of Dreams (Concerto For Violin And Orchestra): Librement
Tree Of Dreams (Concerto For Violin And Orchestra): Interlude
Tree Of Dreams (Concerto For Violin And Orchestra): Vif
Tree Of Dreams (Concerto For Violin And Orchestra): Interlude
Tree Of Dreams (Concerto For Violin And Orchestra): Lent
Tree Of Dreams (Concerto For Violin And Orchestra): Interlude
Tree Of Dreams (Concerto For Violin And Orchestra): Large et anime
Two Sonnets By Jean Cassou: I Dreamt That I Carried You In My Arms - Extremement calme
Two Sonnets By Jean Cassou: There Was Nothing But Torn Trunks - Vehement et agite
Timbres, espace, mouvement avec interlude: I (note = 72 environ)
Timbres, espace, mouvement avec interlude: Interlude
Timbres, espace, mouvement avec interlude: II (note = 56 environ)
Prayer For Us Mortals - Tres librement recite - Animato - Plus librement - Sans lenteur

Amazon.com

This is an excellent collection of Henri Dutilleux's music, for it shows off the best of his many sides, vocal as well as orchestral. "L'arbre des songes" is a concerto for violin and orchestra, but the soloist's role keeps quite close to the orchestra, only bursting from the pack now and then. His Two Sonnets by Jean Cassou is, so far, his only published vocal music. They are based on two wartime sonnetts by Jean Cassou and, while tonal, are quite grim. Timbres, Espace, Mouvement avec Interlude is Dutilleux's most recorded piece, here shaped quite well. An excellent series. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

very impressive.......2006-10-20

The difficulty in free-form, coloristic writing such as Dutilleux's is that the audience has no point of reference, no learned expectations to enable them to understand what the composer is up to. In other words, the composer's task is in one way much easier if he keeps to the conventions of, say, a sonata form; for he then can play upon what the audience expects of such a form, for dramatic effect and immediate, all but guaranteed comprehension. So in free-form, through-composed music such as is found in these pieces, it can be a real challenge for the composer to communicate with his audience.

Dutilleux meets this challenge more than ably. His expressive devices and gestures are so effective and distinct, and the formal architecture of the pieces, while not generally based in any conventional forms, develops according to such an intelligent emotive logic, that there's no difficulty following the progression of ideas. Rather than being aimless, then (as this kind of writing can easily become), these are gorgeous, expressive, and uniquely original orchestral compositions. I much prefer Dutilleux to the other composers of this sort of music with whom I am familiar: Varese, Zappa, and Salonen.

The BBC Philharmonic plays the music with enthusiasm, as though they'd been raised on this style. This disc presents some of the most fulfilling musical Modernism I've ever come across. Highly recommended.

Magnificent........2006-10-05

These are some of Dutilleux's finest works, but the real find here is "Priere pour Nous Autre Charnels." I cannot believe how beautiful this piece is, and alone it is worth the price.

A master.......2005-03-02

This was, I'm afraid to say, my first encounter with Dutilleux's music. Although not as earth-shaking an experience as my first time hearing Messiaen, it was nevertheless an overwheming one. I found "Timbres, espace" to be a truly powerful work, demonstrating the composer's utter mastery. I actually was looking at a reproduction of Van Gogh's "La Nuit etoilee" while listening to the piece, and it was genuinely transforming. I look forward to hearing this work live in concert, and only wish more orchestras would take the time and effort to program more works by this great composer. The other works on this recording, especially the concerto for violin, are all remarkable. Dutilleux certainly deserves his place as a 20th-century master.

Dutilleux at his best.......2000-09-06

This CD conveniently couples what are surely Dutilleux's two greatest works, the Violin Concerto "The Tree of Dreams", and "Timbre, Espace, Mouvement", inspired by Van Gogh's "Starry Night".

The violin concerto is in a four-movement form, with the movements without a break, linked by brief, fragmentary interludes. The composer explains this by saying that he does not want to stop between movements, so as not to lose "music's power to enchant". This phrase is, in many ways, the key to the piece. It is a delicate tracery of instrumental lines, the violin less prominent than many concerti, and with almost a concerto grosso group (containing much percussion, including a delightfully-used cimbalom) mediating between violin and orchestra. The melodies are delightful, and the orchestration sparkles -- it's no wonder that many prominent musicians rate this as the best violin concerto of the last fifty years.

But the second work on the disc is, to my mind, even finer. "Timbre, Espace, Mouvement" takes the apocalyptic radiance of the Van Gogh painting and translates it into music that is much harsher in color than much of Dutilleux, but is utterly compelling. Listening to this work, you can almost see the painting before your eyes.

This performance uses Dutilleux's revised edition of 1991, where the two movements are joined together by a spectacular interlude for twelve solo cellos, and is the best performance I've heard on disc.

Tracks:

Sym No.1: I. Passacailli: Andante - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Sym No.1: II. Scherzo: Molto Vivace - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Sym No.1: III. Intermezzo: Lento - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Sym No.1: Finale, Con Vars: Largemente - Allegro - Scherzo - Lento - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Sym No.2 'Le Double:' I. Animato, Ma Misterioso - Andrew Orton/Robert Chasey/Janet Fisher/Peter Dixon/Marios Argiros/Paul Dintinger/David Chatwin...
Sym No.2 'Le Double:' II. Andantino Sostenuto - Andrew Orton/Robert Chasey/Janet Fisher/Peter Dixon/Marios Argiros/Paul Dintinger/David Chatwin...
Sym No.2 'Le Double:' III. Allegro Fuocoso - Calmato - Andrew Orton/Robert Chasey/Janet Fisher/Peter Dixon/Marios Argiros/Paul Dintinger/David Chatwin...

Tracks:

L'Arbre Des Songs: I. Librement - - Oliver Charlier
L'Arbre Des Songs: Interlude - - Oliver Charlier
L'Arbre Des Songs: II. Vif - - Oliver Charlier
L'Arbre Des Songs: Interlude - - Oliver Charlier
L'Arbre Des Songs: III. Lent - - Oliver Charlier
L'Arbre Des Songs: Interlude - - Oliver Charlier
L'Arbre Des Songs: IV. Large Et Anime - Oliver Charlier
Two Sonnets, 'I Dreamt That I Carried You In My Arms:' Extremement Calme - Neal Davies
Two Sonnets, 'There Was Nothing But Torn Trunks:' Vehemet Et Agite - Neal Davies
Timbres, Espace, Mouvement Avec Interlude: I (1/4nt = 72 Environ) - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Timbres, Espace, Mouvement Avec Interlude: Interlude - - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Timbres, Espace, Mouvement Avec Interlude: II (1/8nt = 56 Environ) - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Prayer For Us Mortals: Tres Librement Recite - Animato - Plus Librement - Sans Lenteur - Neal Davies/Martyn Hill

Tracks:

Metaboles: I. Incantatoire - - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Metaboles: II. Lineaire - - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Metaboles: III. Obsessionnel - - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Metaboles: IV. Torpide - - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Metaboles: V. Flamboyant - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Tout Un Monde Lointain: I. Enigme - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Tout Un Monde Lointain: II. Regard - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Tout Un Monde Lointain: III. Houles - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Tout Un Monde Lointain: IV. Miroirs - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Tout Un Monde Lointain: V. Hymne - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): I. Appels - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): II. Echos - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): III. Prismes - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): IV. Espaces Lointains - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): V. Litanies - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): VI. Choral - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): VII. Rumeurs - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): VIII. Soliloques - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): IX. Metamorphoses (Sur Le Nom Sacher) - - Boris Pergamenschikow
Mystere De L'instant (Grande Formation): X. Embrasement - Boris Pergamenschikow

Tracks:

The Shadows Of Time: I. Hours - - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
The Shadows Of Time: II. Evil Ariel - - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
The Shadows Of Time: III. Memory of Shadows - - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
The Shadows Of Time: Interlude - - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
The Shadows Of Time: IV. Waves Of Light - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier
The Shadows Of Time: V. Blue Dominant? - BBC Phil/Yan Pascal Tortelier

Customer Reviews:

Dutilleux - who?.......2005-08-20

After hearing Henri Dutilleux for the first time ("The Shadow of Time") on a recent NPR broadcast, I immediately ordered his complete orchestral works, available on this four CD set. I am not disappointed. His music is very accessible and deserves a much wider audience. I highly recommend this set.

ON THE RISE.......2005-05-29

Because he's so quiet, and his music isn't as controversial as certain other post WWII french composers who will remain nameless *cough*, Dutilleux's tiny, immaculate reperatory does not get nearly the attention it deserves, and that's a damn shame.

Anyway, to keep it short, "The Shadows of Time" is one of the great triumphs of contemporary music and even as a broke musician I would have paid the admission fee just for this one (this recording is the best of the four available, too, though I'm sure better ones will come). Not to overshadow the rest of the music though, because this is a helluvalotta damn good, damn pretty, damn imaginative music.

This collection is a must for anyone who likes contemporary music--or early 20th century and wants to stretch there ears just a bit. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

complete?.......2004-03-21

How can Chandos clain this to be a complete orchestral collection when they leave out his ballet, <Le Loup>. Ok. There are dancers on stage, but it is a full orchestra that plays it, and it has yet to see the light of day completely recorded anywhere.
Shame on Chandos for overlooking this.

Landmarks of modern French orchestral music.......2004-01-02

Henri Dutilleux has increasingly been regarded as one of the finest of living composers, and as his conservative-modernist style--derived from Debussy and Ravel, though more chromatic and less tonally-centered than either--has become less unfashionable his music has received an increasing number of recordings. Amongst the finest of these have been Yan-Pascal Tortelier's readings for Chandos, and this 4-CD boxed set contains Tortelier's three individual discs, plus a 22-minute bonus disc of a live performance (Tortelier again) of the composer's 1997 work The Shadows of Time. When released, this collection was a complete recording of all Dutilleux's acknowledged orchestral works: this is no longer true, as Dutilleux is still writing, although his post-Shadows work is yet to be recorded. (Hopefully Hans Graf's ongoing budget-price Arte Nova series of Dutilleux recordings will bring matters up to date.)

I have already reviewed the individual discs included on this set, so I will only describe the works briefly, but taken as a whole, they undoubtably rank as amongst the most important orchestral music of the post-war period. Chronologically speaking, they begin with the two symphonies. The first of these, completed in 1951, begins with a slow, mysterious passacaglia, follows it with an overly virtuosic scherzo, a deeply-felt nocturnal slow movement and a flamboyand finale. It is a considerable achievement, though it is some way from Dutilleux's fully mature style, unlike the Second Symphony, completed eight years later. This work is subtitled 'Le Double', as a concertino-like group of 12 players forms a counter-orchestra to the main band--though its function is not of a concerto grosso nature but merely to allow a much greater variety of colours and timbres. The first movement begins mysteriously, building to a dramatic climax. The slow movement (in which the counter-orchestra is particularly prominent) contains a wonderful range of musical colours, while the finale begins vigorously but lapses half-way through into a slow epilogue.

The 1964 work Métaboles is effectively a brief concerto for orchestra in five movements. The first four movements each showcase a different section of the orchestra--alternating fast and slow movements--and in the finale the whole orchestra comes together for a vigorous conclusion. Tout un monde lointain, a 1970 cello concerto based on the poetry of Charles Baudelaire, is a deliriously nocturnal work in five movements that combines delightful solo writing with some extraordinary orchestration, before fading out ambiguously. Perhaps the finest of Dutilleux's orchestral works is Timbres, espace, mouvement, a darkly ecstatic diptych inspired by Van Gogh's painting 'Starry Night'. Two powerfully visionary panels are separated by a forceful interlude for the orchestral cellos alone.

L'Arbre des songes, completed in 1985, is a dreamlike violin concerto in four movements that play without a break. Lyrical and fantastic in equal measure, it has often been described as one of the finest violin concerti of the 20th century, and I wouldn't dispute that rating. Mystère de l'instant is a 1989 work, a sequence of ten atmospheric 'snapshots' for strings and solo cimbalom. The first is an extraordinary evocation of a mass of flying birds; while the other nine are good, they don't quite live up to the first. Finally, The Shadows of Time is perhaps the only authentically angry work in Dutilleux's output. A meditation questioning the validity of music in a world capable of the Holocaust, it begins ambivalently with an evocation of ticking clocks against tense orchestral writing. A solo treble sings 'Why me? Why the star?' before the music builds to an angry climax. After an interlude and a second, equally angry climax, the finale returns to the ambivalent mood of the opening, and the work ends with return of the ticking clocks.

The performances on this set range from good to excellent, but whether the set will be of interest probably depends on whether one owns any of the individual discs. For those who do, or who only need a recording of The Shadows of Time, Hans Graf's first Arte Nova disc may prove more attractive, but those wanting the complete available works in one easy package will find this compilation well-nigh unbeatable.

Music for a Starry Night.......2003-02-26

The reason to buy this boxed set is not to acquire new, definitive interpretations of much represented music; it is to become acquainted with a composer who has had no prior integral recording. That is justification enough. The music of Henri Dutilleux (born 1916) manages to be unmistakably "modern" without being the slightest bit doctrinaire or off-putting: Dutilleux's roots go down deeply into the impressionist soil of Claude Debussy, although unlike Debussy, Dutilleux shows an interest in polyphonic complexity rather than in chord-based harmonic color as such. In addition, Dutilleux's structures usually correspond to what one can call "the symphonic" in a way that Debussy rarely essayed: and indeed his first two orchestral scores were symphonies (1951 and 1959). Like many composers in the aftermath of World War Two who refused to embrace the procedures of the "Second Viennese School," Dutilleux found himself somewhat marginalized. While Dutilleux received performances and commissions and was recorded over the years, he never enjoyed the cachet of, say, Pierre Boulez. In an essay on "The Symphony in France," published in "Paths to Modern Music" (1971), the astute Laurence Davies had to plead for Dutilleux, "a much underestimated composer outside his own country" whose "brilliantly clear textures" make his Second Symphony (subtitled "The Double") "an astounding achievement." On record, Rostropovich played the Cello Concerto and Stern his Violin Concerto; other works have been recorded here and there. The neglect is largely made up for in Yan Pascal Tortelier's comprehensive four-disc survey for Chandos, illustrated appropriately on the jewel-box and on the pamphlet by van Gogh's "Starry Night." On CD 1, Tortelier pairs the two symphonies. Davies valued the Second over the First Symphony, although he admitted the virtues of the latter, particularly its opening Passacaglia. The musical language of the First Symphony is close (by way of a known reference) to Frank Martin's: intensely chromatic without abandoning tonality. (Dutilleux's Passacaglia resembles Martin's free-standing endeavor of the same name in its full-orchestra version, available on a Chandos CD under Matthias Bamert). The two inner movements are a colorful Scherzo and a darkly colored slow movement. The Finale, like the First Movement, is a theme with variations - virtually a second passacaglia, but wider ranging in its moods than the First Movement. The Second Symphony pits a small orchestra of about ten instruments, including harpsichord and celesta, against the full orchestra, hence the appellation of "The Double." I imagine that this is a difficult score to record, as the spatial element resists transcribed representation. That said, this three-movement work is quite as fascinating and beautiful as its precursor. On CD 2, Tortelier gives us Dutilleux's Violin Concerto, "L'arbre des songes" ("The Tree of Dreams" [1985]), in a sequence of uninterrupted movements proper and interludes. This is Dutilleux the mystic, sharing certain penchants with Olivier Messiaen, although never sounding brash or vulgar, as Messiaen sometimes does. "The Tree of Dreams" is music for late-night listening. The "Two Sonnets by Jean Cassou" for baritone and orchestra, dating from the 1940s, show the composer working in a tradition of French orchestral song going back to Hector Berlioz and his "Nuits d'été." The score called "Timbres, espace, et mouvement avec interlude" (1978) takes its inspiration from van Gogh's "Starry Night." It depicts the awe of stellar delirium effectively - less wildly than Messiaen, be it said - yet with some strange and novel sounds. "Métaboles" (1964), on CD 3, again shows some kinship with Martin (think of "The Four Elements") and gives the impression of a symphony by another name. The Cello Concerto, entitled "Tout un monde lointain" (difficult convincingly to translate into English: "A Whole World Far Away"), is another essay in religious yearning and phantasmagoria. Like Berlioz, Dutilleux has a gift for melody: the concerto-format lets him exploit his talent, allotting the "singing role" to the solo instrument and supporting the solo line in a delicate web of hallucinatory accompaniment. The descriptive title comes from one of the Baudelaire poems that the concerto purports to "interpret." This is another link to Berlioz, who made one of the earliest settings of Baudelaire. "Delicacy" and "exquisiteness" are adjective that come to mind insistently as one listens to Dutilleux's music. One thinks of them as French traits par excellence. They appear again in "Mystère de l'instant," a quasi-concerto for cimbalom and strings - by no means so odd as it might seem. On CD 4, Tortelier gives us "The Shadows of Time" (1995), for voice and orchestra, which shows Dutilleux refining his mode of expression even further toward the seamless and translucent. With one minor quibble, I recommend this boxed set. The quibble is the shortness of the fourth disc. Chandos could easily have added a performance of Dutilleux's string quartet, "Ainsi la nuit," which would have turned a stinting measure into a fair one. Discs 1 - 3 are well filled.

Average customer rating:

300 Years of French Glory

Manufacturer: Titanic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001I71
Release Date: 1996-06-20

Jehan Alain: L'intégrale de l'oeuvre d'orgue à l'orgue de la famille Alain, Vol.1

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Jehan Alain: L'intégrale de l'oeuvre d'orgue à l'orgue de la famille Alain, Vol.1

Manufacturer: Gall Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000004A39
Release Date: 1996-04-16

Tracks:

Premiere Fantaisie
Deuxieme Fantaisie
Le Jardin Suspendu
Deux Danses a Agni Yavishta: Premiere Danse
Deux Danses a Agni Yavishta: Deuxieme Danse
Climat
Lamento
Fantasmagorie
Chant donne
Choral Cistercien
Variations sur Lucis Creator: Theme - Variation 1 - Variation 2
Postlude pour l'office de Complies
Intermezzo
Suite: Introduction et variations
Suite: Scherzo
Suite: Choral

Average customer rating:

Dances of Life and Death

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Buxtehude: Sacred Cantatas, Vol 1 /Kirkby * Leblanc * Harvey * Purcell Quartet

ASIN: B0007SK9M4
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

Joies
Deuils
Luttes
Aria
Allegro
Pas Vite
Variations Sur L'hymne 'Lucis Creator'
Danse Lente
Litanies
Le Jardin Suspendu
Prelude
Fugue

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A top recommendation.
A top recommendation.
excellent

Alain: Organ Works, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Alain: Organ Works, Vol. 1
Mendelssohn: Organ Sonatas Nos. 1 - 6, Op. 65
Brahms: Complete Organ Works
Louis Vierne: Complete Organ Symphonies
Kurt Atterberg: The Symphonies (Box Set)

ASIN: B0000014EL
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Joies
Deuils
Luttes
Intermezzo
Theme
Premiere Variation
Deuxieme Variation
Berceuse Sur Deux Notes Qui Cornent
Grave
Lamento
Premiere Fantaisie
Prelude
Fugue
Choral Dorien
Aria
Postlude Pour L'office Des Complies

Customer Reviews:

A top recommendation........2002-09-08

Any Internet browser, even those with only half an ear, or only half a finger, or half a day's pay in the bank, should add this CD to their shopping cart. Better still, select its companion volume as well, and you'll have the complete organ works of Jehan Alain (1911-1940). Here is music that repays repeated listening. You'll not find organ music that is mainly bombast, and special effects; you'll find the quieter, more subtle potentialities of a large pipe organ used in music that is full of intriguing harmonies and gentle colourings.

Renowned organist Marie-Claire Alain has written, without a trace of sentimentality, of the life of her eldest brother, and of helping, as a small child, to gather up his effects including pages of music from the site where he was killed during the German invasion of France in May 1940. Her own recordings of his organ works will always carry a special authority, but a worthy and welcome alternative is now available in these modestly priced and very well recorded CDs made by Eric Lebrun playing on the Cavaille-Coll Organ on the Church of Sainte-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts, Paris.

A top recommendation........2002-09-08

excellent.......2001-04-22

Alain should have been one of the greatest composers of the century, based on his early output. His style had incredible virtuosity to it, combining secular and religiously based concepts. Had he survived the 2nd World War (He was killed in 1940 by a Nazi bomb raid- a mere 29 years old) he would likely have surpassed his contemporary Olivier Messiaen and been the greatest composer of Organ music of this century.

Such bragging on my part has as its backing, the output of Alain's work that we do have to enjoy today. This volume (the 2nd of 2) released by Naxos features the excellent work of organist Eric Lebrun and the Cavaille-Coll organ of the Church of Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts in Paris. As I explained in my review of Vol.1, this type of organ is exactly the type Alain wanted his pieces played on, and Lebrun, (who studied under Alain's sister, the famed Maire-Claire Alain) showcases his complete understanding of Alain's sonic world and does it absolute justice.

As with Vol.1, Alain's works are hauntingly beautiful, with his "3 Danses" being my personal favorite piece of his. The use of unresolved chords for effect is somewhat reminiscent of the opening movement of Beethoven's "5th" symphony, while its virtousity reminds me somewhat of Bach's "Passagalia and Fugue in C minor." Intentional or not, the effect is amazing. Also of note are the "Variations sur L'Hymme 'Lucis Creator.' Lebrun is at his best on these pieces, bringing a whole new life and vitality to them. Stunning.

Because it is a Naxos release, money is no excuse to not purchase this, and its companion 2 cd, disc. Other than Maire-Claire Alain, one will not likely find more competent readings of Alain's works than Lebrun's. Fans of organ music will love it, and I think you will, as well.

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