CHAUSSON: Poeme de l’amour et de la mer, Op. 19; Quartet, Op. 35; Chanson perpetuelle, Op. 37 – Salome Haller, soprano/ Nicolas Kruger, piano/ Le Quatuor Manfred – ZigZag 10040, 65:52 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] ***1/2:
This is an unusual recording of Chausson’s magnificent Poem of Love and of the Sea. The original was given for piano and voice, and then orchestrated a few months later for full orchestra even though it was conceived as a piece for orchestra from the beginning. Composer-conductor Franck Villard accepted the commission to create a version for piano, string quartet and voice based on pianist’s Nicolas Kruger’s assessment that the work shares much of the same qualities as the Chanson perpetuelle which is scored for these same forces, and it is his hope that this version will bring the work to a larger audience.
And it might do that, as the piece is not played often, though some sopranos—Frederica von Stadt comes to mind—have made it a specialty. This arrangement is completely idiomatic and breezily apt for these forces, and I can’t really find fault with it at all and in fact would love to hear it in a chamber performance as it does bring Chausson’s sweeping forces down to a more intimate level. But then again it is precisely these waves of orchestral ecstasy that are so important in this work, and I am not convinced that this arrangement fully lives up to those ideals. And as far as recordings go, it is also questionable as to whether this will or even should compete with recordings of the genuine article done with orchestra, available in at least 25 recordings with some of the greatest sopranos to have ever lived (I especially like the one with Victoria de los Angeles on EMI). Salome has a fine voice and gives a competitive performance, but she does not top some of the greats, including De los Angeles. So while this very well sung and played version is of interest it by necessity remains a supplement as those wanting only one will undoubtedly go for the orchestra version.
The Chanson perpetuelle is nicely sung also, though its length makes it appear as a footnote on this disc. I will keep it for the lovely and very, very French interpretation of the unfinished Quartet, Op. 35. Chausson did not live to complete it, as he died in a bicycle accident in 1899 leaving the third movement incomplete with sketches of a fourth. Friend Vincent d’Indy completed the work to fine effect (in three movements), and its harmonic and mood connections to Debussy’s Quartet are striking. The Manfred Quartet has it completely under control in an excellent reading.
ZigZag’s sound is first rate throughout with terrific ambiance surrounding the performers and lots of presence.
— Steven Ritter
