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HECTOR BERLIOZ
(1803-1869)
L'enfance du Christ (1850-1854)
Première Partie, Le Songe d'Hérode/Part One, Herod's Dream
Prologue
1.
Dans le crèche, en ce temps
1:53
Narrator
Scene 1
2.
Marche Nocturne
8:26
Centurion, Polydorus
Scene 2
3.
Toujours ce rêve!
8:50
Herod, Polydorus
Scene 4
4.
Les sages de Judée
3:33
Soothsayers, Herod
5.
Les Devins font des évolutions
1:28
6.
La voix dit vrai, Seigneur
4:11
Soothsayers, Herod
Scene 5
7.
O mon cher fils
8:20
Mary, Joseph
Scene 6
8.
Joseph! Marie!
4:21
Choir of unseen Angels, Mary, Joseph
Deuxième Partie, La fuite en Égypte/Part Two, The Flight into Egypt
9.
Ouverture
6:25
10.
The Shepherds' Farewell to the Holy Family
4:32
Shepherds
11.
The Holy Family at Rest
6:39
Narrator, Angels
Troisième Partie: L'Arrivée à Saïs/Part Three, The Arrival at Saïs
12.
Depuis trois jours
3:34
Narrator, Angels
Scene 1
13.
Dans cette ville immense
5:25
Mary, Joseph, Angels
Scene 2
14.
Entrez, pauvres Hébreux
7:37
Householder, Mary, Joseph, Chorus of Ishmaelites
15.
Trio for two flutes and harp
6:23
16.
Vous pleurez, jeune mère
4:27
Householder, Mary, Joseph, Chorus of Ishmaelites
Epilogue
17.
Ce fut ainsi que par un infidèle
3:08
Narrator, Chorus
18.
O mon âme
7:15
Chorus
Solo:Yann Beuron tenor - The Narrator/Centurion
Solo: Karen Cargill mezzo-soprano - Marie
Choral: Tenebrae
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
Conductor:Sir Colin Davis
2 and 3 December 2006 (live recording)
Notes
Berlioz: L'Enfance du Christ London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis
Described as a 'sacred trilogy', but having begun as a short piece called 'Shepherds' Farewell', Berlioz's oratorio L'Enfance du Christ tells the story of the birth of Jesus and the journey of the Holy Family as they escape Bethlehem and head across Egypt to the city of Saïs. Unlike many of the composer's more flamboyant works, it is, though on a large scale, an exquisite and gentle composition scored for relatively small forces.
'Beuron, probably today's finest lyric tenor, gives the performance an essential idiomatic core in his narration [Tenebrae are] dramatically alert and glowing as stained glass, the angelic messages skin-pricklingly ethereal.' Performance ***** Sound ***** BBC Music Magazine
'If ever a conductor lived the works of a composer, it's Davis with Berlioz. The London Symphony Orchestra play with delicacy, the Tenebrae Choir are immaculate, and there's an impeccable set of soloists.' The Independent on Sunday (Classical CD of the Week)
'Sir Colin Davis worked his magic with Berlioz yet again Sir Colin assembled a fine cast of soloists and choir and orchestra sing and play superlatively.' ***** The Sunday Telegraph
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Reviews
“… This is one of the best of the run of Davis’ Berlioz performances recorded in the Barbican. There are many satisfying recordings of this unusual piece but this is in many ways the most satisfying of all for its consistency and gentle beauty.”
Ralph Moore – MusicWeb-International.com – 14 July 2020
Building a Library - The Best Recording
George Hall - BBC Music magazine - Christmas Issue 2018
the combination of Davis, his responsive orchestra, and the French composer whose works he has done so much to champion, is irresistible This is undoubtedly another benchmark recording from LSO Live"
MusicalCriticism.com - August 2007
under Davis’s loving direction, the spirit is wonderfully right, and all the soloists, the fine Tenebrae Choir and the hypersensitive LSO combine in an interpretation of extraordinary tenderness
Sunday Times
life-enhancing … The Narrator’s strengths leap out immediately. He’s Yann Beuron … Plus he’s French: an obvious boon in a language where inflection means so much. Here, the chamber choir Tenebrae excel themselves: wonder radiates from every securely focused, cleanly voiced chord. They’re the performance’s rock … nothing here, not a growl, not a rasp, ruins the magic of L’Enfance du Christ
The Times
[Sir Colin Davis’s] revisitation of this truly classic score is utterly and totally compelling
International Record Review
Sir Colin Davis worked his magic with Berlioz yet again Sir Colin assembled a fine cast of soloists and choirs and orchestra sing and play superlatively"
*****
Sunday Telegraph - 19 August 2007
If ever a conductor lived the works of a composer, it’s Davis with Berlioz. The London Symphony Orchestra play with delicacy, the Tenebrae Choir are immaculate, and there’s an impeccable set of soloists"
Classical CD of the Week
The Independent - 29 July 2007
Beuron, probably today’s finest lyric tenor, gives the performance an essential idiomatic core in his narration [Tenebrae are] dramatically alert and glowing as stained glass, the angelic messages skin-pricklingly ethereal."
Performance ***** Sound *****
BBC Music Magazine - September 2007
This set is instantly recommendable for Yann Beron’s Narrator. He is quintessentially French and sings with a directness and innocence that suit the story perfectly Davis’ understanding of Berlioz’s layering of sounds remains unsurpassed when Berlioz strips the orchestration almost bare the effect is hypnotic. The Tenebrae Choir sings brilliantly at all dynamic levels and with absolute clarity, and in the most pious moments the effect is positively heavenly."
Artistic Quality 10 Sound Quality 10
ClassicsToday.com - October 2007
Disc of the Week
BBC 3 CD Radio Review - 27 October 2007
Critic’s Choice 2008
American Record Guild (USA)
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