NOTES (FRA)

Claude Debussy fut candidat à trois reprises auprix de Rome pendant la décennie la plus novatricede ce concours qui permettait aux vainqueurs depasser plusieurs années à la Villa Médicis, à Rome,aux frais du gouvernement français. Entre 1880et 1890, en effet, l’État encouragea les personnalitésartistiques originales, rompant avec les accusationsrécurrentes d’« académisme ». Les lauréats aurontainsi pour noms Bruneau, Pierné, Debussy, Dukas,Leroux, Charpentier... Le programme proposé dansce double disque forme un ensemble d’inéditscomposés entre 1882 et 1888, en particulier LeGladiateur et les premières versions de L’Enfantprodigue (dont seule la réorchestration de 1906est parfois rejouée) et de Printemps, pièce originalepour chœur et piano à quatre mains transforméeplus tard en suite symphonique. Une version pourpiano et voix de La Damoiselle élue (la seulesupervisée par Debussy) et les chœurs des concoursde 1882, 1883 et 1884 complètent ce panoramad’œuvres jusqu’alors inconnues de Debussy.

Voici le premier volume d’une nouvelle collectionde Glossa dédiée au Prix de Rome, préparée encollaboration avec le Palazzetto Bru Zane - Centrede Musique Romantique Française, récemmentcréé, et avec Hervé Niquet, grand spécialiste nonseulement du baroque français mais encore detoute la musique française ; ce chef dirige ici deuxprestigieux ensembles européens, le Flemish RadioChoir et la Brussels Philharmonic.

NOTIZEN (DEU)

Während der 1880er Jahre bewarb sich ClaudeDebussy drei Mal um den Prix de Rome. Diese Zeitwar das innovativste Jahrzehnt in der Geschichtedes Wettbewerbs, und die Preisträger, die siegreichaus ihm hervorgingen, durften (auf Kosten derfranzösischen Regierung) mehrere Jahre in der VillaMedici in Rom verbringen. Zwischen 1880 und 1890versuchte Frankreich mit Erfolg, die Weiterentwick-lung besonders kreativer Künstlerpersönlichkeitenzu fördern. Zu den Preisträgern aus dieser Periodegehören Bruneau, Pierné, Debussy, Dukas, Lerouxund Charpentier. Auf dieser Doppel-CD werdeneinige kaum bekannte Werke Debussys vorgestellt,die zwischen 1882 und 1888 entstanden sind. LeGladiateur und die ersten beiden Fassungen vonL’Enfant prodigue (ein Werk, dessen Reorchestrierungvon 1906 gelegentlich aufgeführt wird) sowiePrintemps – ein höchst individuelles Werk für Chorund Klavier zu vier Händen – wurden später in einersinfonischen Suite weiterverwendet. Eine Fassungvon La Damoiselle élue für Klavier und Gesangs-stimme (die als einzige von Debussy selbst überprüftwurde) und die Chorsätze, die für die Wettbewerbein den Jahren 1882, 1883 und 1884 entstanden,vervollständigen diese Übersicht bislang unbekannterWerke aus der Feder Debussys.

Diese Neuerscheinung bildet den Auftakt zu einerneuen Glossa-Serie, die sich mit Musik befasst, diemit dem Prix de Rome in Zusammenhang steht.Diese Reihe wird in Zusammenarbeit mit dem vorkurzem gegründeten Centre de Musique RomantiqueFrançaise und mit Hervé Niquet vorbereitet, der aufder hier vorliegenden Aufnahme zwei erstrangigeeuropäische Ensembles leitet: den Flemish RadioChoir und das Brussels Philharmonic.

NOTAS (ESP)

Claude Debussy presentó su candidatura al Prixde Rome (Premio de Roma) en tres ocasionesdurante la década de los 1880, la más innovadoraen la historia de este concurso, que permitía a losganadores pasar varios años en la Villa Medici enRoma, con gastos sufragados por el gobiernofrancés. Entre 1880 y 1890, el estado galo apoyóactivamente el desarrollo de personalidadesartísticas de gran originalidad, contestando así alas persistentes acusaciones de «academicismo».Los nombres de los ganadores durante estos añosincluyen a Bruneau, Pierné, Debussy, Dukas, Lerouxy Charpentier. En este disco doble, presentamosun grupo de composiciones muy poco conocidasde Debussy, todas ellas datadas entre 1882 y1888. Además de la cantata Le Gladiateur y lasprimeras versiones de L’Enfant prodigue (de la quesólo se acostumbra a tocar, de vez en cuando, lareorquestación de 1906) y de Printemps (una piezapara coro y piano a cuatro manos que después seconvertiría en suite sinfónica), podemos escucharuna versión para piano y voz de La Damoiselleélue (la única supervisada por el propio Debussy)y las obras corales compuestas para los concursosde 1882, 1883 y 1884.

Esta es la primera entrega de una nueva colecciónde Glossa en torno al Prix de Rome, preparada encolaboración con el recientemente creado Centrede Musique Romantique Française y con HervéNiquet, gran especialista no sólo del Barroco francéssino de toda la música francesa en general, quedirige a dos de los más prestigiosos conjuntoseuropeos: el Flemish Radio Choir y la BrusselsPhilharmonic.

NOTES (ENG)

Claude Debussy presented himself as a candidatefor the Prix de Rome on three separate occasionsduring the 1880s, the most innovative decade inthe history of that competition; a time when successentitled the victors (at the French government’sexpense) to spend several years at the Villa Mediciin Rome. Between 1880 and 1890 the French statewas successfully encouraging the development oforiginal artistic personalities, breaking with thepersistent accusations of “academicism” that hadbeen levelled against it. Names of prize winnersfrom this time include Bruneau, Pierné, Debussy,Dukas, Leroux and Charpentier. Presented on thistwo CD set is a group of little known compositionsby Debussy, dating from between 1882 and 1888:Le Gladiateur and the first versions of L’Enfantprodigue (of which only the 1906 reorchestrationis occasionally performed) and Printemps – a highlyindividual piece (scored for choir and piano, fourhands) later turned into a symphonic suite. Aversion for piano and voice of La Damoiselle élue(which was the only one overseen by Debussyhimself) and the choruses written for thecompetitions of 1882, 1883 and 1884 completethis survey of hitherto unknown works by Debussy.

This release represents the first issue in a newcollection from Glossa centred on music associatedwith the Prix de Rome. This is being prepared incollaboration with the recently formed PalazzettoBru Zane - Centre de Musique Romantique Françaiseand with Hervé Niquet, who here is conductingtwo of Europe’s foremost ensembles: the FlemishRadio Choir and the Brussels Philharmonic.

www.glossamusic.com

Claude DebussyMusic for the Prix de Rome

Guylaine Girard, sopranoSophie Marilley, mezzo-sopranoBernard Richter, tenorAlain Buet, baritone

Marie-Josèphe Jude, pianoJean-François Heisser, piano

Flemish Radio ChoirBrussels PhilharmonicHervé Niquet, conductor

Glossa GCD 9222062 CDs – digipak

Programme

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

CD I (48:17)

Le Gladiateur (1883)Invocation (1883)La Damoiselle élue (1888)

CD II (53:52)

Printemps (1887)Le Printemps (1884)Salut Printemps (1882)L’Enfant prodigue (1884)

Production details

Recorded in Heverlee (Jezuïetenkerk) andBrussels (La Monnaie) in June and July 2009Engineered by Manuel MohinoProduced by Manuel Mohino and Hervé NiquetExecutive producer: Carlos Céster

Design: Valentín IglesiasBooklet essays: A. Dratwicki, D. HerlinEnglish Français Deutsch Español

Claude DebussyMusic for the Prix de Rome

GCD 922206New release informationNovember 2009

8 424562 22206 9

www.glossamusic.com

An interview withHervé Niquet

For all of Hervé Niquet’s credentials in the worldof Baroque music (not least a substantial bodyof recorded work encompassing the music ofCharpentier, Lully, Marais, Destouches,Desmarest from France as well as the recentrelease on DVD of Purcell’s King Arthur), theconductor will tell you that as far as Frenchmusic is concerned he sees no division betweenLully and Satie. He did, after all, study with apupil of Maurice Ravel and Marguerite Long andhe spent formative educational years as a singerat the Opéra de Paris. For many years he hasmatched the work he carries out with his ownLe Concert Spirituel with conducting modernorchestras in far more modern repertoire. Andso, finding him at the helm of the BrusselsPhilharmonic recording Debussy for Glossashould come as no real surprise. Niquet hashad a long involvement with the Centre deMusique Baroque in Versailles and now isextending that particular process of researchwhich yields performances (and recordings)with the newly-created Centre de MusiqueRomantique Française based in the PalazzettoBru Zane in Venice, with Nicole Bru as its patron.Nor does this new release represent a one-offexercise in approaching scores well-known toone and all. Instead Claude Debussy: Music forthe Prix de Rome marks the outset of animportant new collection, set to embrace animportant body of works written by Frenchcomposers associated with a competition,organized through the French state in itsdifferent manifestations all the way from 1803through to 1968 – and where many of thesecompositions, however famous their composerbecame, remain forgotten today.

Some of the works recorded earlier this yearfor this first release bear titles which will resonatelittle with music lovers (Le Gladiateur, Salutprintemps, Invocation), and even better-knownpieces such as La Damoiselle élue and L’Enfantprodigue appear here in earlier and differentscorings, closely linked with Debussy’s effortsin the 1880s to win the prestigious Prix deRome. The competition rules required a seriesof vocal compositions to be written with furtherenvois demanded if the composer passed tothe stage of being able to stay in the Villa Mediciin Rome. In the accompanying booklet to HervéNiquet’s recording the fascinating essays ofAlexandre Dratwicki and Denis Herlin examinethe history of the Prix de Rome and ClaudeDebussy’s part in it. Hervé Niquet waspersuaded to tear himself away from all hisinvestigations, conducting and recordingactivities and reflect on this new stage in hiscareer – and on French Romantic music.

What is your attitude to the new Centrede Musique Romantique Française and itbeing based in Venice?

Being able to work – do research and createeditions – on music from the period 1790-1930realizes for me a dream that I had when I wasyounger. After all, French music consists of allFrench music, not just the Baroque andindividual later composers. In Venice I have ateam of researchers who have the same workinghabits as their counterparts in Baroque music.And why shouldn’t the CMRF be based in Venice?There we have a great patron in Nicole Bruwho offered us the money to save FrenchRomantic music and a place to work in. FrenchRomantic music is so important that whetherit is Venice, Paris or Canada that is suggestedas the location for the study of it, we must doit. And do remember, also, that one of the mostimportant figures in the recent interpretationof Hector Berlioz’ music is not exactly French:Colin Davis!

The first release in your new collectionfocuses on the music of Claude Debussywritten in connection with the Prix deRome. What was the importance of thiscompetition in Debussy’s day?

It was very important. All the importantcomposers entered for the competition, evenif it meant moving away from Paris and Franceand living in the Villa Medici in Rome. At thistime fashions and tastes were very quick-moving. However important Paris was, Romegave the composers a sense of identity andthey were able to meet many other peoplethere with a completely different frame of mindthan that found in the French capital. Composersproduced many great works in Rome – theywere obliged to compose all sorts of music:masses, symphonies, quartets, cantatas,choruses – and it was a very good exercise todo this. At the end of their lives, many of themreflected very positively on their time in Romeand the lessons learnt there.

Was Debussy himself happy with thescores that he wrote for the Prix de Rome,even if, clearly, the judges were not alwaysappreciative of what he had composed?

He never heard Le Gladiateur as the Académiedes Beaux-Arts in Paris didn’t play the piece(although he was able to hear L’Enfant prodiguethere), and ten years later he had forgottenthat he had written this piece when his publisher,Durand, proposed doing an edition. PerhapsDebussy was composing so much at this time!However, even if one might later forget havingwritten such a piece I think that nonethelessfor a composer every piece is important. Withboth Le Gladiateur and L’Enfant prodigueDebussy involved himself in some very hardwork in the effort of producing a natural wayof singing in French for the performers. At thetime he believed that he was the first composerto try and invent a new musical language bycarrying out this kind of mathematical andscientific form of vocal production in the Frenchlanguage; little did he know that Lully had donethis some 300 years beforehand! In effect,the judges of the Prix de Rome (as opposed to

Debussy’s teachers) essentially representedthe taste of audiences and critics as they operatewith live performances of music. Even ifsometimes the jury at the competition managedto mix art with politics nonetheless the membersembodied the conservative or modern responsestypical of criticism. And when you are an artistit is normal that you have critics, be they goodor bad.

What is your opinion of 19th-centuryFrench music in general?

I just love French music! Maybe my taste ispoor, but when I hear the sacred music, forexample, of composers such as Saint-Saëns,Delibes, Gounod I think that this music is great– it is sweet, heavy and creamy music. Andthink also of that fact that the churches ofFrance when this music was originally performedwere completely full. All the priests of the veryimportant churches in Paris (as elsewhere) inthose days chose the best composers to do thesame thing as was happening in opera.Nowadays, the music heard in churches is sohorrible with its guitars and stupid texts. Andthere are no people there! Music forms part ofthe “commerce” of the church: it is a shop withgood music, with a good smell from the incense,nice robes and decor and paintings. For thenext “Prix de Rome” release on Glossa we willbe tackling pieces by Camille Saint-Saëns. Heentered the competition many times but henever managed to win it. So, for instance wewill be recording the chœurs with organaccompaniment composed by him from histime with the Prix de Rome.

From a slightly earlier period you have a tragédielyrique such as Grétry’s Andromaque, whichfor me is a very important piece [to be releasedby Glossa in Spring 2010]. Now Grétry hadbecome famous for all the funny opérascomiques that he had composed (and it is verydifficult to do comedy successfully: if you loseyour audience for 20 seconds, you are finished)and Andromaque respects all the rules of thetragédie lyrique and with just four principalsand the choir.

I am also a big fan of Jacques Offenbach’smusic. He was a genius and he liked to laugh.You can feel this in a work such as La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein [due to be directed byNiquet with Anne-Sofie von Otter in the TheaterBasel in nine performances over December2009 and January 2010 – the same productionalso visits the Theater an der Wien on January8 and the Salle Pleyel in Paris on January 11].Like Saint-Saëns’ music for the church thistheatrical piece acts as a caricature of society.Offenbach’s intelligence allowed him to createa strong structure for the opéra bouffe, withfine melodies and good orchestration, and allthe notes are important. The only shame forme with Offenbach is that he never composedtragédies lyriques, but like Debussy and Saint-Saëns, he represents a strong, typical elementwithin French music, where the structure ofthe music is virtuosic with a lightness anddeftness of touch.

Mark Wiggins© 2009 MusiContact