V?ronique Gens - Trag?diennes
Our Price: $16.98
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $7.65 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Composer: Jean-Baptiste LullyComposer: Jean-Philippe Rameau
Composer: Jean-Joseph Cassanea de Mondonville
Composer: Joseph-Nicholas-Pancrace Royer
Composer: Andre Campra
Composer: Christoph Willibald Gluck
Composer: Jean-Marie Leclair
Conductor: Christophe Rousset
Orchestra: Les Talens Lyriques
Performer: Veronique Gens
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2006-06-06
Music Label: Virgin Classics
Soundtracks:
- Act 2. Scene 5. Enfin il est en ma puissance
- Ouverture
- Act 3. Scene 3. Venez, venez, Haine implacable
- Passacaille
- Act 3. Scene 5. Mes yeux, fermez-vous ? jamais
- Act 3. Pr?lude
- Act 3. Scene 1. Cruelle m?re des amours
- Chaconne
- Act 1. Scene 3. Tristes appr?ts
- Chaconne
- Troisi?me entr?e (La F?erie). Scene 5. Que ses regrets m'ont attendrie
- Act 1. Scene 1. D?sirs toujours d?truits
- Ouverture
- Act 4. Scene 4. Et toi, dont les embrasements...Noires divinit?s
- Act 4. Scene 5. Premier Air des d?mons
- Act 4. Scene 5. Brillante fille de Latone
- Act 4. Scene 5. Deuxi?me Air des d?mons
- Act 1. Scene 3. L'objet qui r?gne dans mon ?me
- Act 3. Scene 3. Dieu des amants fid?les
- Act 3. Scene 6. Dieux puissants que j'atteste / Jupiter, lance la foudre!
- Act 2. Scene 5. Enfin, il est en ma puissance
Music reviews of V?ronique Gens - Trag?diennes
Music Review: Excellent singing of music unfamiliar to many of us
Rating: 4 Stars
This is a most intriguing CD. I, for one, am not much familiar with operatic work before the later 18th century. On this CD, soprano Veronique Gens does a very nice turn indeed, singing works from Jean-Baptiste Lully to Christoph Willibald Gluck. The "liner notes" place the music on this CD very nicely into historical context (other composers represented on this CD include Andre Campra, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Jean-Joseph Cassanea de Mondonville, Jean-Marie Leclair, and Pancrace Royer). I am familiar with only a handful of these, so this is a venture into "terra incognita."
A note on the orchestra is needed, too. They play extremely well (Les Talons Lyriques, conducted by Christoph Rousset). The Overture to Rameau's Prelude to Act III of "Hippolyte et Aricie" exemplifies their art. It is really well played and spirited. This orchestra itself makes this a worthwhile CD.
A few examples of Gens' singing:
Lully, "Armide," Act II, Scene 5 (1686). She shows a strong, rich voice here. She attacks the work with aplomb. There are some mildly annoying affectations (e.g., little catches or gasps for effect here and there), but not problematic.
Rameau, "Hippolyte et Aricie," Act III, Scene 1 (1733). Again, smoothly sung. Her voice, again, is quite lush.
Gluck, "Armide," Act II, Scene 5 (1777). The lyrics are exactly the same as the Lully cut that I looked at previously. That makes a comparison of these two pieces irresistible! Gens sings this well, too. What is especially interesting to me is the wildly distinct vocal styles, as between Lully's and Gluck's compositions! Lully is obviously writing in an entirely different style. Gluck is Mozartean in his musical style. So, the comparison of styles is most educational to me.
I really enjoyed this CD. I did find some sameness in Gens' singing across the different pieces here, but that does not distract much from the overall quality of this CD. For those interested in earlier styles of vocal music, this will be a nice product to listen to.
Description of V?ronique Gens - Trag?diennes
This fascinating recital, filled with rarities from the French Baroque/Classical period, is a series of monologues by tragic heroines: they're enraged, submissive, and everything in between. Gens is an amazingly classy singer, incapable of vulgar exclamation, but she still manages to express the full range of emotions required here. Her chest register has gained in volume and thrust and the top of her voice remains free and clear; her classical line, enunciation, and legato are flawless; her mastery of ornamentation is exquisite. Composed about 100 years apart, Lully's and Gluck's Armide bookend the program and use the same text; the latter's version is far more manic, but the character's torment is equally clear. Gens makes the stylistic distinctions. A great find is from Leclair's Scylla et Glaucus, in which Circe sings in front of Mount Etna, demanding assistance for her horrors. Each selection is riveting. This is a veritable primer in the emotions of early French opera. --Robert LevineGeneral CDs
- Styles > Classical
- Ballets & Dances > Ballets
- Chamber Music > General
- Featured Composers, A-Z > ( G ) > Gluck, Christoph W.
- ( L ) > Lully, Jean-Baptiste
- ( R ) > Rameau, Jean Philippe
- Historical Periods > Baroque (c.1600-1750) > Ballets & Dances
- General
- Classical (c.1770-1830) > Forms & Genres > Chamber Music
- General
- Opera & Vocal > General
- Historical Periods > Baroque (c.1600-1750)
- Classical (c.1770-1830)
- Languages > French
- German
- Gluck, Christoph W. - Works by Gluck
Music Genres
Bestsellers in General CDs
Puccini - La Boheme (The Metropolitan Opera HD Live Series)Release date: 2008-09-16; DVD
Best price: $13.67
Price in other shops:
Songs of Joy & Peace Deluxe VersionRelease date: 2008-10-14; Music CD
Best price: $13.50
Price in other shops:
Stephen Sondheim - The Story So Far..Release date: 2008-09-30; Music CD
Best price: $34.13
Price in other shops:
Chant: Music For The SoulRelease date: 2008-07-01; Music CD
Best price: $9.66
Price in other shops:
Andrea Bocelli - The Best of Andrea Bocelli: VivereBOCELLI,ANDREA; Release date: 2007-10-30; Music CD
Best price: $6.98
Price in other shops:
Adams: Doctor AtomicRelease date: 2008-09-30; DVD
Best price: $29.88
Price in other shops:
Baby Einstein - Baby Mozart - Music Festivalby Disney
BABY EINSTEIN; Release date: 2002-03-12; Published: 2004; DVD
Best price: $8.88
Price in other shops:
Andre Rieu: Live in ViennaRelease date: 2008-09-30; DVD
Best price: $12.38
Price in other shops:
Vivaldi: The Four SeasonsRelease date: 2008-09-02; Music CD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Songs of Joy & PeaceRelease date: 2008-10-14; Music CD
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops:
Similar CDs
In furore, Laudate pueri et Concerti sacri (Vivaldi Edition)Release date: 2006-05-16; Music CD
Best price: $10.31
Price in other shops:
Diana Damrau - Arie di Bravura (Mozart, Salieri, Righini Opera Arias)Release date: 2007-11-06; Music CD
Best price: $10.93
Price in other shops:
Elina Garanca - Aria CantilenaRelease date: 2007-02-13; Music CD
Best price: $8.75
Price in other shops:
Era La NotteRelease date: 2006-03-21; Music CD
Best price: $10.66
Price in other shops:
Angelika Kirchschlager - Handel ariasRelease date: 2006-11-14; Music CD
Best price: $8.49
Price in other shops:
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson sings Peter Lieberson 'Neruda Songs'Release date: 2006-12-19; Music CD
Best price: $8.49
Price in other shops:
Mozart AriasRelease date: 2006-11-14; Music CD
Best price: $11.80
Price in other shops:
V?ronique Gens - Nuit d'?toiles (M?lodies fran?aise)Release date: 2000-04-11; Music CD
Best price: $8.97
Price in other shops:
Russian AlbumRelease date: 2007-01-09; Music CD
Best price: $9.23
Price in other shops:
Vivica Genaux - Handel & Hasse Opera AriasRelease date: 2006-09-12; Music CD
Best price: $9.82
Price in other shops: