French Songs: "Chère Nuit" Vocal & Song Piano Chandos

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Chère Nuit

MAURICE RAVEL

Shéhérazade (1903)

16:50

Trois Poémes de Tristan Klingsor

Asie. À Mademoiselle Jeane Hatto.

9:29

La Flûte enchantée. À Madame René de Saint-Marceaux.

3:40

III

L'Indifférent. À Madame Sigismond Bardac.

3:40

OLIVIER MESSIAEN

Trois Mélodies (1930)

6:49

Pourquoi? Trés modéré

2:18

Le Sourire. Lent

1:41

La Fiancée perdue. Vif - Lent - Modéré

2:45

CLAUDE DEBUSSY

Apparition (1884)

3:43

À Madame Vasnier

En sourdine (1882)

2:57

À Madame Vasnier

La Romance d'Ariel (1884)

4:45

Andante sans lenteur - Un peu plus lent

PAULINE VIARDOT

10.

Les Deux Roses, VWV1055 (c.1866)

2:21

No.7 from Douze Mélodies sur les poésies russes (1866)

À Monsieur Pierre-Marius-Victor-Simon Jourdan

11.

Haï luli!, VWV 1106 (c.1880)

3:32

No.4 from Six Mélodies et une havanaise (1880)

12.

Havanaise, VWV 1019 (c.1880)

4:58

No.7 from Six Mélodies et une havanaise

Théme poplaire varié pour voix de soprano

CÉCILE CHAMINADE

13.

La Lune paresseuse (1905)

2:58

À Nademoiselle Marie Lasne

14.

L'Amour captif (1893)

1:43

Allegretto

15.

Ronde d'amour (1895)

1:59

À Madame Colombel

JOSEPH CANTELOUBE

16.

O up! (c.1948)

1:20

Vif et léger - Ékargi

ALFRED BACHELET

17.

Chère Nuit (1897)

4:57

Molto tranquillo (sans lenteur)

FRANCIS POULENC

18.

Les Chemins de l'amour, FP 1-6-la (1940)

3:48

Valse chantée

(Waltz Song)

from incidental music to the play Léocadia (1940)

by Jean Anouilh (1910 - 1987)

À Yvonne Printemps

Métmorphoses, FP 121 (1943)

4:46

19.

Reine des mouettes. À Marie-Blanche. Trés vite et haletant -

1:05

Surtout sans ralentir - Ralentir un peu

20.

C'est ainsi que tu es. À Marthe Bosredon. Trés calme, très à l'aise -

2:29

Cedez un peu

21.

III

Paganini. À Jeanne Ritcher. Prestissimo - Surtout sans ralentir -

1:09

Toujours sans ralentir

ÉRIK SATIE

22.

La Diva de 'I'Empire' (1904)

3:04

Temps de marche

23.

Je te veux (1897)

4:13

Modèrè - Refrain. Valse -

MAURICE YVAIN

24.

Je chante la nuit (c.1938)

4:21

À Yvonne Printemps

Total time: 78:55

29 July - 1 August and 1 September 2020

Nominee in the Song category

Mark Pullinger

Gramophone Award Nominee 2022

Critics’ Choice 2021 – Robert Moore

American Record Guide – January/February 2022

“… This is a gem of a recording both for the variety of songs, most of them not heard very often, and for their terrific performance.”

Robert A Moore – American Record Guide – September/October 2021

Editor’s Choice – Vocal

“Here’s a peach of a recital disc, wonderfully programmed. Louise Alder and Joseph Middleton begin with the familiar – Ravel’s perfumed Shéhérazade and then segue into the byways of French mélodie repertoire, much of it seldom heard … ‘Chère nuit’ … is a gem of a discovery. Alder welcomes the setting of the sun and the sweet scents of the garden as night descends in long, ecstatic phrases, sensitively echoed by Middleton’s piano. It’s truly deserving of the title-track in this beguiling recital.”

Mark Pullinger – Gramophone magazine – June 2021

Recording of the Month

“… This is a fabulous collection and that it effortlessly places the unfamiliar alongside familiar as well as encompassing such a diverse range of styles demonstrates the thought that has gone into its planning. The rich velvety texture of Alder's voice is well suited to this music and she has the flexibility to respond to subtle and fleeting changes of emotion; Ravel's Asie is particularly fine in this respect. An album I will return to with pleasure and one that makes me want to visit their Russian connection album (Chandos CHAN20153).”

Rob Challinor – MusicWeb-International.com – 16 June 2021

Performance *** Recording ****

“… For me, the lighter popular songs that conclude the disc, with Alder floating exquisitely soft high notes, take the prize.”

Roger Nichols – BBC Music magazine – June 2021

“Soprano Louise Alder has earned notice not only for her rich, operatic voice -- which here handles Debussy's obstreperous high notes -- but also for unexpected programming… Beginning with Ravel's Shéhérazade cycle of three, she catches a certain luxuriant freedom of melody which runs through almost all of these songs … The accompaniment of Joseph Middleton is a big attraction, but most of all, it's Alder's ability to draw the listener completely into a musical world that impresses. Hats off!” ****½

James Manheim – Allmusic.com – 28 May 2021

“Chère Nuit, a wide-ranging exploration of French song that … finds Louise Alder on glowing form, equalled in expression all the way by pianist Joseph Middleton… it’s Messiaen’s Trois Mélodies and four songs by Debussy that find them at their spellbinding best, Alder’s voice gauzy, supple and irresistible.”

Eric Jeal – The Guardian – 1 April 2021

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