Pol Plançon Complete Victor Recordings
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: (Charles Louis) Ambroise Thomas, Charles-François Gounod, Hector Berlioz, Giuseppe Verdi, Benjamin (Louis Paul) Godard, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Vincenzo Bellini, Friedrich (Adolf Ferdinand) von Flotow, Jean-Baptiste Faure, Gioachino Rossini, Joseph Haydn, Jules (Emile Frédéric) Massenet, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Adolphe (Charles) Adam, Benedetto Ferrari, Herman Bemberg, Ange Flégier, Alexandre Georges, Robert Schumann, (Abraham) Louis Niedermeyer
Label: Romophone
Magazine Review Date: 12/1994
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 142
Mastering:
Acoustic
ADD
Catalogue Number: 82001-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (La) Sonnambula, Movement: ~ |
Vincenzo Bellini, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Pol Plançon, Bass Vincenzo Bellini, Composer |
| Minuit, chrétiens |
Adolphe (Charles) Adam, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Adolphe (Charles) Adam, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (Les) Rameaux |
Jean-Baptiste Faure, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Jean-Baptiste Faure, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (Le) Caïd |
(Charles Louis) Ambroise Thomas, Composer
(Charles Louis) Ambroise Thomas, Composer |
| (La) Damnation de Faust, Movement: Devant la maison (Sérénade) |
Hector Berlioz, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Hector Berlioz, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Roméo et Juliette, 'Romeo and Juliet', Movement: Allons! jeunes gens! |
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Charles-François Gounod, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Stabat mater, Movement: Pro peccatis suae gentis |
Gioachino Rossini, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Gioachino Rossini, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Faust, Movement: ~ |
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Charles-François Gounod, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (Le) lac |
(Abraham) Louis Niedermeyer, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano (Abraham) Louis Niedermeyer, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Romanzen und Balladen II, Movement: No. 1, Die beiden Grenadiere (wds. Heine) |
Robert Schumann, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Pol Plançon, Bass Robert Schumann, Composer |
| (Le) chalet |
Adolphe (Charles) Adam, Composer
Adolphe (Charles) Adam, Composer |
| Faust, Movement: Le veau d'or |
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Charles-François Gounod, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Embarquez-vous? |
Benjamin (Louis Paul) Godard, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Benjamin (Louis Paul) Godard, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Philémon et Baucis, Movement: Au bruit des lourds marteaux |
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Charles-François Gounod, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (Die) Zauberflöte, '(The) Magic Flute', Movement: ~ |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Pol Plançon, Bass Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Composer |
| (Die) Zauberflöte, '(The) Magic Flute', Movement: In diesen heil'gen Hallen |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Pol Plançon, Bass Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Composer |
| (Le) Vallon |
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Charles-François Gounod, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Si tu veux, Mignonne |
Jules (Emile Frédéric) Massenet, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Jules (Emile Frédéric) Massenet, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (Die) Jahreszeiten, Movement: Schon eilet froh |
Joseph Haydn, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Joseph Haydn, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Jésus de Nazareth |
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Charles-François Gounod, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (Le) Lazzarone |
Benedetto Ferrari, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Benedetto Ferrari, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (Le) Filibustier |
Alexandre Georges, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Alexandre Georges, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (Le) Soupir |
Herman Bemberg, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Herman Bemberg, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (Le) Cor |
Ange Flégier, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Ange Flégier, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Dinorah, '(Le) pardon de Ploërmel' |
Giacomo Meyerbeer, Composer
Giacomo Meyerbeer, Composer |
| Credo |
Jean-Baptiste Faure, Composer
Anonymous Pianist(s), Piano Jean-Baptiste Faure, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Don Carlos, Movement: ~ |
Giuseppe Verdi, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Giuseppe Verdi, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (La) Damnation de Faust, Movement: ~ |
Hector Berlioz, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Hector Berlioz, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (La) Damnation de Faust, Movement: Voici des roses |
Hector Berlioz, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Hector Berlioz, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Martha, Movement: ~ |
Friedrich (Adolf Ferdinand) von Flotow, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Friedrich (Adolf Ferdinand) von Flotow, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| (L') Etoile du nord |
Giacomo Meyerbeer, Composer
Giacomo Meyerbeer, Composer |
| Robert le Diable, Movement: ~ |
Giacomo Meyerbeer, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra Giacomo Meyerbeer, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
| Mignon, Movement: De son coeur, j'ai calmé (Berceuse) |
(Charles Louis) Ambroise Thomas, Composer
(Anonymous) Orchestra (Charles Louis) Ambroise Thomas, Composer Pol Plançon, Bass |
Author: Alan Blyth
The new, inquiring collector will find copious writings on the merits of Plancon's unique voice and art. Perhaps Lord Harewood summed it all up when he commented on the bass's recording of Philip II's monologue: ''He sings in French with a fullness and beauty of sound, a nobility of style, a smoothness of execution that have to be heard to be believed'', to which one might add his plangency of tone—and these commendations apply to every single record he made, even if some are more amazing than others. So what is there new to say? That very few singers have seemed to enjoy performing on record as much as he, or evinced so much character; Gigli, Tauber, Supervia, and perhaps Bartoli, today.
The smile and/or saturnine glee he brought to the music of Gounod's, Meyerbeer's and Berlioz's devils incarnate is superb: if you hear nothing else listen to his insinuating ''Voici des roses'' from La damnation de Faust (the second disc, track 16). Then hispiece de resistance—''L'air du tambourmajor'' from Thomas's Le caid—is unsurpassed in my, and I daresay many others' experience, for flexibility and lightness, and the treatment of grace notes, echoes of a lost art. But he is no less remarkable in 'serious' music such as ''Pro peccatis'' from Rossini's Stabat mater, where the tone rolls out in an effortless stream. Nor have his versions of the Porter's song from Martha and ''O jours heureux'' from L'etoile du nord been surpassed.
Like most singers of his age, Plancon sang a deal of dross, but even these items are worth listening to for the pleasure of hearing a voice so immaculately produced throughout its range. Drawbacks? Well, I suppose to some modern ears his tone may be found lacking in resonance and vibrations, and you could say, sacrilegiously, that—well—Peter Dawson had a better voice, as even a production as accomplished a technique, and exhibited as much joy in singing, yet is nowhere near so highly regarded.
Plancon made many of his recordings twice sometimes thrice. By and large the versions with orchestra of 1906–08 (on the second disc) are preferable to their predecessors with piano (the first disc): increasing familiarity with the recording horn seems to have allowed the bass to become ever more relaxed before it. As we have come to expect from this source, the transfers are virtually perfect—and prove quite conclusively that nothing has to be added to the sound to make old recordings thoroughly acceptable to today's collectors. Don't pass up this chance to hear one of the phenomenons of his—or any—day.'
The smile and/or saturnine glee he brought to the music of Gounod's, Meyerbeer's and Berlioz's devils incarnate is superb: if you hear nothing else listen to his insinuating ''Voici des roses'' from La damnation de Faust (the second disc, track 16). Then his
Like most singers of his age, Plancon sang a deal of dross, but even these items are worth listening to for the pleasure of hearing a voice so immaculately produced throughout its range. Drawbacks? Well, I suppose to some modern ears his tone may be found lacking in resonance and vibrations, and you could say, sacrilegiously, that—well—Peter Dawson had a better voice, as even a production as accomplished a technique, and exhibited as much joy in singing, yet is nowhere near so highly regarded.
Plancon made many of his recordings twice sometimes thrice. By and large the versions with orchestra of 1906–08 (on the second disc) are preferable to their predecessors with piano (the first disc): increasing familiarity with the recording horn seems to have allowed the bass to become ever more relaxed before it. As we have come to expect from this source, the transfers are virtually perfect—and prove quite conclusively that nothing has to be added to the sound to make old recordings thoroughly acceptable to today's collectors. Don't pass up this chance to hear one of the phenomenons of his—or any—day.'
Pol Plançon Complete Victor Recordings
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