Songs to words by Victor Hugo

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Gabriel Fauré, Maude Valerie White, Edouard(-Victoire-Antoine) Lalo, Richard Wagner, Reynaldo Hahn, Camille Saint-Saëns, (Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Franz Liszt, Charles-François Gounod, Georges Bizet, César Franck

Label: Harmonia Mundi

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 0

Catalogue Number: HMC90 1138

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Sérénade Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Guitare Georges Bizet, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Georges Bizet, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Adieux de l'hôtesse arabe Georges Bizet, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Georges Bizet, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Églogue (Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer
(Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
(2) Songs, Movement: No. 1, La papillon de la fleur (1861) Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
(3) Songs, Movement: No. 3, L'Absent (wds. Hugo (1871) Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Puisqu'ici-bas Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
(3) Mélodies, Movement: L'attente (wds. V. Hugo) Richard Wagner, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Richard Wagner, Composer
Oh! quand je dors Franz Liszt, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Franz Liszt, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Comment, disaient-ils Franz Liszt, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Franz Liszt, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Soirée en mer Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
(La) Fiancée du timbalier Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Chantez, chantez, jeune inspirée Maude Valerie White, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Maude Valerie White, Composer
Rêverie Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
Si mes vers avaient des ailes Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
S'il est un charmant gazon César Franck, Composer
César Franck, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano

Composer or Director: Gabriel Fauré, Maude Valerie White, Edouard(-Victoire-Antoine) Lalo, Richard Wagner, Reynaldo Hahn, Camille Saint-Saëns, (Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Franz Liszt, Charles-François Gounod, Georges Bizet, César Franck

Label: Harmonia Mundi

Media Format: Cassette

Media Runtime: 0

Catalogue Number: HMC40 1138

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Sérénade Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Guitare Georges Bizet, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Georges Bizet, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Adieux de l'hôtesse arabe Georges Bizet, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Georges Bizet, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Églogue (Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer
(Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
(2) Songs, Movement: No. 1, La papillon de la fleur (1861) Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
(3) Songs, Movement: No. 3, L'Absent (wds. Hugo (1871) Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Puisqu'ici-bas Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
(3) Mélodies, Movement: L'attente (wds. V. Hugo) Richard Wagner, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Richard Wagner, Composer
Oh! quand je dors Franz Liszt, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Franz Liszt, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Comment, disaient-ils Franz Liszt, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Franz Liszt, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Soirée en mer Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
(La) Fiancée du timbalier Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Chantez, chantez, jeune inspirée Maude Valerie White, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Maude Valerie White, Composer
Rêverie Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
Si mes vers avaient des ailes Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
S'il est un charmant gazon César Franck, Composer
César Franck, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano

Composer or Director: Gabriel Fauré, Maude Valerie White, Edouard(-Victoire-Antoine) Lalo, Richard Wagner, Reynaldo Hahn, Camille Saint-Saëns, (Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Franz Liszt, Charles-François Gounod, Georges Bizet, César Franck

Label: Harmonia Mundi

Media Format: Vinyl

Media Runtime: 0

Catalogue Number: HMC1138

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Sérénade Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Guitare Georges Bizet, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Georges Bizet, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Adieux de l'hôtesse arabe Georges Bizet, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Georges Bizet, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Églogue (Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer
(Clément Philibert) Léo Delibes, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
(2) Songs, Movement: No. 1, La papillon de la fleur (1861) Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
(3) Songs, Movement: No. 3, L'Absent (wds. Hugo (1871) Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Puisqu'ici-bas Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Gabriel Fauré, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
(3) Mélodies, Movement: L'attente (wds. V. Hugo) Richard Wagner, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Richard Wagner, Composer
Oh! quand je dors Franz Liszt, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Franz Liszt, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Comment, disaient-ils Franz Liszt, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Franz Liszt, Composer
Graham Johnson, Piano
Soirée en mer Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
(La) Fiancée du timbalier Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Chantez, chantez, jeune inspirée Maude Valerie White, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Maude Valerie White, Composer
Rêverie Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
Si mes vers avaient des ailes Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
Reynaldo Hahn, Composer
S'il est un charmant gazon César Franck, Composer
César Franck, Composer
Felicity Lott, Soprano
Graham Johnson, Piano
As a collection, the songs on the first side are too pink and sky blue, too unvaryingly pretty. Interest and pleasure of another kind arise at the start of Side 2. There, for one thing, Hugo himself momentarily releases his muse from sentimental generality. He sees a squirrel climbing an oaktree, and brief refreshment of imagery as that provides (for it initiates a series of romantic picture-book images) it is enough to set Wagner off, pulse racing, ardour glowing. It is, as Graham Johnson says, an ''astonishing'' song, Wagner's L'attente. So is Liszt's Comment, Disaient-ils, so much brainier as a setting of Guitare than those by Bizet and Lalo that one scarcely recognizes it as the same poem. The two songs by Saint-Saens are remarkable too. The first, Soiree en mer, would not at all discredit Berlioz, whom in some touches it calls to mind. La fiancee du timbalier, as an imaginative, resourceful setting of a 20-verse poem, commands respect, though its climax may not chill quite as it should. After these, we are ready for the pinks of Hahn and Maude Valerie White, and even perhaps to return to Side 1 which also has its charm.
Felicity Lott sings honestly: with steady production, thoughtful phrasing, a genuine trill, and no suggestion of artifice or self-conscious sweetness. Some of the songs need bolder characterizing and richer vocal colours. Her Gounod Serenade is scrupulously precise where many singers blur the semiquavers; and in Oh, quand je dors she sustains beautifully the final phrase in which many lack support. Graham Johnson plays finely as ever, not least in the lazy distant tinkle of arpeggios in Si mes vers. A well-produced leaflet and the reproduction of a strikingly effective painting by Hugo on the sleeve front enhance the attractions.'

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