Psyché. Symphonic Poem for Orchestra and Choir

Le sommeil de Psyché. Lento (Le sommeil de Psyché. Lento)


  • Recorded: 5th December 1964
  • Record Place: The Dvořák Hall of Rudolfinum, Prague
  • First Release: 1965
  • (P) 1965 SUPRAPHON a.s.
  • Genre: Orchestral

Artists

  • music by: César Franck
  • original lyrics by: Louis de Fourcaud
  • conductor: Jean Fournet
  • musical group: Prague Symphony Orchestra

Album

Various Artists

Jean Fournet in Prague

Catalogue Number: SU 4122-2
Published: 22nd February 2013
Genre: Orchestral
Format: 3 CD
César Franck - symphonic poems: Les Djinns, Les Éolides, Le Chasseur maudit, Psyché; symphonic interlude from the oratorio Rédemption
Manuel de Falla - Three Dances from the ballet El sombrero de tres picos
Claude Debussy - Ibéria, Rondes de printemps, La mer, Nocturnes for Orchestra

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Chorus
Conductor: Jean Fournet

In the past century, Jean Fournet (1913-2008), a "gentle perfectionist", as some of the critics characterised him, was one of the leading champions of French music throughout the world. In addition to heading globally renowned orchestras (director of the Opéra-Comique in Paris, chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra), he also left a distinctive footprint in Prague, with the Czech Philharmonic in particular. He first appeared there as a guest at the Prague Spring festival in 1954, then in January 1961, and for the last time, at the age of 90 (!), in 2003. At the time of the Iron Curtain, Fournet represented for the Czech Philharmonic a rare and precious opportunity to enter the world of French music with the most competent guide there was. During his visits to Prague between 1963 and 1967, he and the orchestra made the enchanting and highly acclaimed recordings presented on this CD: in their "Ančerl" period, the Czech Philharmonic naturally embraced Fournet's refinement, sense of form and purity of colours. The precious recordings, newly remastered, are being released on a Supraphon CD for the very first time. Enchanting French flamboyance ? la Jean Fournet.

CD 1

César Franck
1. Rédemption.Symphonic Interlude from the Oratorio 13:05
César Franck
2. Les Éolides. Symphonic Poem 10:13
César Franck
3. Le Chasseur maudit. Symphonic Poem 14:25
César Franck
4. Les Djinns. Symphonic Poem 13:17

CD 2

César Franck
Psyché. Symphonic Poem for Orchestra and Choir
1. Le sommeil de Psyché. Lento (Le sommeil de Psyché. Lento) 08:19
2. Psyché enlevée par les Zéphirs. Allegro vivo (Psyché enlevée par les Zéphirs. Allegro vivo) 02:30
3. Les jardins d' Eros. Poco animato-Lento (Les jardins d' Eros. Poco animato-Lento) 10:08
4. Psyché et Éros. Andanttino, ma non troppo (Psyché et Éros. Andanttino, ma non troppo) 08:00
5. Le chatiment. Quasi lento - Souffrances et plaintes de Psyché. Lento - Apothéose (Le chatiment. Quasi lento - Souffrances et plaintes de Psyché. Lento - Apothéose) 16:16
Claude Debussy
Nocturnes for Orchestra
6. Nuages 07:56
7. Fetes 06:31
8. Sirénes 11:06

CD 3

Manuel de Falla
Three Dances from the balet El sombrero de tres picos
1. Los vocinos (Les voisins) 03:21
2. Danza del molinero (Danse du meunier) 03:01
3. Danza final (Danse finale) 06:21
Claude Debussy
Iberia
4. Par les rues et par les chemins 07:14
5. Les parfumes de la nuit 08:15
6. Le matin d'un jour de féte 04:36
Claude Debussy
7. Rondes de printemps 07:40
Claude Debussy
La mer. Trois esquisses symphoniques
8. De l'aube a midi sur la mer 09:29
9. Jeux de vagues 06:13
10. Dialogue du vent et de la mer 08:34