Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 1: No. 1. Le Papillon et la fleur
2. Mai, song for voice & piano in F major, Op. 1/2: No. 2. Mai
3. Rêve D'Amour ('S'il est in charmant gazon'), song for voice & piano in E flat major, Op. 5/2
4. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 2: No. 1. Dans les ruines d'une abbaye
5. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 2: No. 2. Les Matelots
6. Lydia, song for voice & piano in F major, Op. 4/2
7. Hymne, song for voice & piano in G major, Op. 7/2
8. Seule!, song for voice & piano in E minor, Op. 3/1
9. L'absent ('Sentiers où l'herbe se balance'), for voice & piano in A minor, Op. 5/3
10. L'aurore, song for voice & piano in A flat major, Op. posth.
11. La Rançon, song for voice & piano in C minor, Op. 8/2
12. Rêve D'Amour ('S'il est in charmant gazon'), song for voice & piano in E flat major, Op. 5/2
13. Aubade, song for voice & piano in F, Op. 6/1
14. Tristesse, song for voice & piano in C minor, Op. 6/2
15. Chanson du pêcheur ('Ma belle amie est morte'), song for voice & piano or orchestra in F minor ('lamento'), Op. 4/1
16. Barcarolle for voice & piano in G minor, Op. 7/3
17. Duets (2) for 2 sopranos and piano, Op. 10: No. 1. Puisqu'ici-bas
18. Duets (2) for 2 sopranos and piano, Op. 10: No. 2. Tarentelle
19. Ici-Bas!, song for voice & piano in F sharp minor, Op. 8/3
20. Au bord de l'eau ('S'asseoir tous deux au bord du flot'), song for voice & piano, Op. 8/1
21. Sérénade toscane ('O tu che dirmie riposata stai'), for voice & piano in B flat minor, Op. 3/2
22. Après un rêve ('Dans un sommeil'), song for voice & piano, Op. 7/1
23. Sylvie, for voice & piano in F major, Op. 6/3
24. Le voyageur, song for voice & piano in A minor, Op. 18/2
25. Automne, song for voice & piano in B minor, Op.18/3

Disc 2:

1. Poème d'un jour, song cycle (3) for voice and piano, Op. 21: No. 1. Recontre
2. Poème d'un jour, song cycle (3) for voice and piano, Op. 21: No. 2. Toujours
3. Poème d'un jour, song cycle (3) for voice and piano, Op. 21: No. 3. Adieu
4. Nell, song for voice & piano in G flat major, Op. 18/1
5. Songs (3) for voice & piano, Op. 23: No. 1. Les Berceaux
6. Songs (3) for voice & piano, Op. 23: No. 2. Notre amour
7. Songs (3) for voice & piano, Op. 23: No. 3. Le Secret
8. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 27: No. 1. Chanson d'amour
9. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 27: No. 2. La Fée aux chansons
10. Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 39: No. 1. Aurore
11. Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 39: No. 2. Fleur jetée
12. Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 39: No. 3. Le Pays des rêves
13. Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 39: No. 4. Les Roses d'Ispahan
14. Nocturne, song for voice & piano in E flat major, Op. 43/2
15. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 46: No. 1. Les Présents
16. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 46: No. 2. Clair de Lune
17. Larmes, songs for voice & piano in C minor, Op. 51/1
18. Au Cimetière, song for voice & piano in E minor, Op. 51/2
19. En prière, canticle for voice & organ (or orchestra) in E flat major
20. Noël, song for voice and piano with or without harmonium ad lib, Op. 43/1
21. Spleen, for voice & piano in D minor, Op. 51/3
22. La Rose, song for voice & piano in F major, Op. 51/4
23. Shylock, incidental music and suite for tenor & orchestra, Op. 57: No. 1. Chanson de Shylock
24. Shylock, incidental music and suite for tenor & orchestra, Op. 57: No. 2. Madrigal de Shylock
25. Cinq Mélodies 'de Venise', song cycle for voice & piano, Op. 58: No. 1. Mandoline
26. Cinq Mélodies 'de Venise', song cycle for voice & piano, Op. 58: No. 2. En sourdine
27. Cinq Mélodies 'de Venise', song cycle for voice & piano, Op. 58: No. 3. Green
28. Cinq Mélodies 'de Venise', song cycle for voice & piano, Op. 58: No. 4. A Clymène
29. Cinq Mélodies 'de Venise', song cycle for voice & piano, Op. 58: No. 5. C'est l'extase
30. Sérénade du bourgeois gentilhomme, song for voice & piano in F minor, Op. Posth.

Disc 3:

1. La Bonne chanson, song cycle (9) for voice & piano (or string quintet & piano), Op. 61: No. 1. Une Sainte en son auréole
2. La Bonne chanson, song cycle (9) for voice & piano (or string quintet & piano), Op. 61: No. 2. Puisque l'aube grandit
3. La Bonne chanson, song cycle (9) for voice & piano (or string quintet & piano), Op. 61: No. 3. La Lune blanche luit dans les bois
4. La Bonne chanson, song cycle (9) for voice & piano (or string quintet & piano), Op. 61: No. 4. J'allais par des chemins perfides
5. La Bonne chanson, song cycle (9) for voice & piano (or string quintet & piano), Op. 61: No. 5. J'ai presque peur, en vérité
6. La Bonne chanson, song cycle (9) for voice & piano (or string quintet & piano), Op. 61: No. 6. Avant que tu ne t'en ailles
7. La Bonne chanson, song cycle (9) for voice & piano (or string quintet & piano), Op. 61: No. 7. Donc, ce sera par un clair jour d'été
8. La Bonne chanson, song cycle (9) for voice & piano (or string quintet & piano), Op. 61: No. 8. N'est-ce pas?
9. La Bonne chanson, song cycle (9) for voice & piano (or string quintet & piano), Op. 61: No. 9. L'Hiver a cessé
10. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 76: No. 1. Le Parfum impérissable
11. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 76: No. 2. Arpège
12. Pleurs d'or, for 2 voices & piano in E flat major, Op. 72
13. Mélisande's song, for voice & orchestra, Op. posth (orchestrated by Koechlin)
14. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 83: No. 1. Prison
15. Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 83: No. 2. Soir
16. Dans la Forêt de septembre, song for voice & piano in G flat major, Op. 85/1
17. La fleur qui va sur l'eau, song for voice & piano, Op. 85/2
18. Accompangnement, song for voice & piano in G flat major, Op. 85/3
19. Madrigals (2) for voice & piano, Op. 87: No. 1. Le plus doux Chemin
20. Madrigals (2) for voice & piano, Op. 87: No. 2. Le Ramier
21. Le Don silencieux, song for voice & piano in E major, Op. 92
22. Chanson, song for voice & piano in E minor, Op. 94
23. Vocalise-étude, song for voice & piano in E minor

Disc 4:

1. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 1. Paradis
2. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 2. Prima verba
3. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 3. Roses ardentes
4. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 4. Comme Dieu rayonne
5. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 5. L'aube blanche
6. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 6. Eau vivante
7. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 7. Veilles-tu, ma senteur de soleil?
8. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 8. Dans un parfum de roses blanches
9. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 9. Crépuscule
10. La chanson d'Eve, song cycle (10) for voice & piano, Op. 95: No. 10. O mort, poussière d'étoiles
11. Le Jardin clos, song cycle (8) for voice & piano, Op. 106: No. 1. Exaucement
12. Le Jardin clos, song cycle (8) for voice & piano, Op. 106: No. 2. Quand tu plonges tes yeux dans mes yeux
13. Le Jardin clos, song cycle (8) for voice & piano, Op. 106: No. 3. La messagère
14. Le Jardin clos, song cycle (8) for voice & piano, Op. 106: No. 4. Je me poserai sur ton cœur
15. Le Jardin clos, song cycle (8) for voice & piano, Op. 106: No. 5. Dans la Nymphée
16. Le Jardin clos, song cycle (8) for voice & piano, Op. 106: No. 6. Dans la pénombre
17. Le Jardin clos, song cycle (8) for voice & piano, Op. 106: No. 7. Il m'est cher, amour, le bandeau
18. Le Jardin clos, song cycle (8) for voice & piano, Op. 106: No. 8. Inscription sur le sable
19. Mirages, song cycle (4) for voice & piano, Op. 113: No. 1. Cygne sur l'eau
20. Mirages, song cycle (4) for voice & piano, Op. 113: No. 2. Reflets dans l'eau
21. Mirages, song cycle (4) for voice & piano, Op. 113: No. 3. Jardin nocturne
22. Mirages, song cycle (4) for voice & piano, Op. 113: No. 4. Danseuse
23. C'est la paix!, song for voice & piano, Op.114
24. L'horizon chimérique, song cycle (4) for voice & piano, Op. 118: No. 1. La mer est infinie
25. L'horizon chimérique, song cycle (4) for voice & piano, Op. 118: No. 2. Je me suis embarqué
26. L'horizon chimérique, song cycle (4) for voice & piano, Op. 118: No. 3. Diane Séléné
27. L'horizon chimérique, song cycle (4) for voice & piano, Op. 118: No. 4. Vaisseaux, nous vous aurons aimés

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #69821 in Music
• Released on: 1992-01-23
• Number of discs: 4
• Dimensions: .52 pounds

Customer Reviews

Limpid, refined, elegant music.
This famous set provides on 4 CDs the complete songs (mélodies, he preferred to call them) by Faure. They are entrusted to the native French baritone, the Dutch soprano, and their accompanist Dalton Baldwin, and were recorded in the early 1970s. The set is not inexpensive, so I shall try to outline its merits. The music itself is enthralling. Faure set, over a period of sixty years, texts by French poets. Limpid, refined, elegant music, it repays repetition and close listening. One reviewer has suggested that no listener will want to listen to umpteen of these mélodies in one sitting, but I have never had too much of them. If slow tempi and arpeggio accompaniments begin to pall, listen to "Nell" (CD 2, Track 4). The performers satisfy on all counts. Souzay's contribution reflect a life time's association with the music, and a tradition that goes back through his teachers to the time of Faure himself. His definitive version of "La bonne Chanson" is especially fine. If his style is more suited to the impassioned, ardent items, it balances well with the cooler, more detached singing of Elly Ameling. So that you will not be disappointed, I should also mention that translations of the texts are not provided. I also wish that the balance had been better engineered. Sometimes Souzay seems to have the microphone in his mouth, and always the piano seems too distant. These are but minor flaws, however, in a long necklace of priceless pearls.

Elly Ameling steals the show
This is a collection I keep close to my CD player. Because it is comprehensive, you can listen to Faure develop his songcraft into stranger and richer and more wonderful harmonic territory. First his songs are simple and charming, but they become increasingly demanding and spare -- and yet, because his counterpoint is always clear, they never become impossible to follow, just... surprising. To convey musical development like this convincingly, a collection needs versatile singers and a walking encyclopedia of piano technique. Incredibly, this is what this collection almost always brings forward -- "almost" because while Souzay does the early, brooding, romantic stuff well, he is far less convincing in the later work, which seems to require a certain detachment. Elly Ameling is exquisite across the board in this respect, and it is her contributions to this project that make it worth every last penny. Her control, pitch, range, and emotional sensitivity are so beautiful you can hardly bear it. On each of these four, full discs, you're likely to find a half a dozen favorites on each. Take a long walk in the garden of this unfortunately neglected master.

First Rate French
This is a wonderful collection. I teach a class in French diction for singers and am very familliar with the songs of Faure. These performances are executed flawlessly in every aspect. It is often difficult in this country to find recordings of French repertoire where the musical indications of the composer and the nuances of the language are respected. Also, the fact that this is a complete recording means that you are able to hear many songs which have possibly never been available in the U.S. on any other recording.