Saint-Saëns: Oratorios

 

The two oratorios, or cantatas, paired up on the 2CD set are not going to stand as new masterpieces, yet a good time they are. French composer Camille Saint-Saëns puts a sweet touch on these two works, both musically looking into the past, as well as standing firmly Romantic.

Check out my reviews of the individual works from this recording elsewhere on the blog (HERE and HERE), for they go into a little more detail of each piece than I will here. Suffice to say, the orchestra led by Jacques Mercier is lovely throughout, the chorus strong enough, but the soloists hitting it out of the park. Soprano Françoise Pollet is the headliner, where the others add to the quality of the solo quartet in each.

Each CD adds a couple of the composer's orchestral songs to the oratorios, drawing from the same set of soloists. Again, I was particularly taken with Pollet mentioned earlier, but also baritone Didier Henry.

While the two cantatas were originally released separately on ADDA, and then reissued separately again on RCA, this one combines the two, and is probably the best and easiest way to hear both works, if you can find it on the marketplace at a decent price.

I would say if you are into large-scale choral/orchestral works, these two by Saint-Saëns should please even the hardest of hearts. I am a little more taken with Le Déluge than La Lyre et la Harpe, for the former's thematic ideas carry better over the runtime, whereas the latter gets better as the work goes on. Speaking of timing, each oratorio is only 40 minutes, so the musical investment is rather short if time is a concern.

In addition to this set, I can also recommend this same team's recording of Saint-Saëns' Requiem & Psalm XVIII (BLOG), bringing an even brighter sense of energy than what is here. Combining the three into a single choral set from Saint-Saëns would be the ultimate triumvirate if it were available.

 

 

Works 
Le Déluge, op. 45 (43.30)
La Lyre et la Harpe, op. 57 (48)
La Fiancée du Timbalier , op. 82 (11.08)
La Nuit, op. 114 (11.27)
Two Choruses, op. 53 (5.46)
Rêverie (3.25)
Le Pas d'Armes du Roi Jean (4.40)
La Cloche (4.34)

Soloists
Françoise Pollet, soprano
Nathalie Dessay, soprano
Hélène Perraguin, mezzo-soprano (CD1)
Lucile Vignon, mezzo-soprano (CD2)
Daniel Galvez-Vallejo, tenor
Didier Henry, baritone (CD1)
Philippe Rouillon, baritone (CD2)

Ensembles
Choeur Régional Vittoria d'Île-de-France
Orchestre National d'Île-de-France
Jacques Mercier, conductor

Label: Adès; RCA
Year: 1991-94; 1997
Total Timing: 2.13.56

 

Each individual release from this 2CD set would probably receive a middle rating from me. Together, though, I am becoming rather enchanted by all of this music, especially from these French performers.

I realize this is not A+ grade material from Saint-Saëns, but I think most will be charmed by this music. I have been!

Find more Saint-Saëns recordings HERE!