Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre - Christoph Willibald Gluck: Armide (1999)
Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre - Christoph Willibald Gluck: Armide (1999)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 600 Mb | Total time: 79:19+60:09 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Archiv Produktion | 459 616 2 | Recorded: 1995
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 600 Mb | Total time: 79:19+60:09 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Archiv Produktion | 459 616 2 | Recorded: 1995
‘Perhaps the best of all my works’, said Gluck of his Armide. But this, the fifth of his seven ‘reform operas’, has never quite captured the public interest as have Orfeo, Alceste, the two Iphigenies and even Paride ed Elena. Unlike those works it is based not on classical mythology but on Tasso’s crusade epic, Gerusalemme liberata. No doubt Gluck turned to this libretto, originally written by Quinault, to challenge Parisian taste by inviting comparison with the much-loved Lully setting. Its plot is thinnish, concerned only with the love of the pagan sorceress Armide, princess of Damascus, for the Christian knight and hero Renaud, and his enchantment and finally his disenchantment and his abandonment of her; the secondary characters have no real life. Its style, largely determined by the structure of the libretto, is closer to the French tragedie-lyrique traditions than are Gluck’s more familiar operas, with its short airs gliding into arioso and recitative. There are relics, too, of the traditional French divertissement, a scene usually of only marginal relevance to the plot which is worked in to provide opportunity for choruses and dance (with nymphs and shepherds in Act 2, for example, demons in Act 3, Pleasures in Act 5). But Armide has two features that set it apart. One is the extraordinary soft, sensuous tone of the music; Gluck said that it was meant ‘to produce a voluptuous sensation’, and that if he were to suffer damnation it would be for the passionate love duet in Act 5. And certainly his orchestral writing here has a warmth, a colour and a richness going far beyond anything in his other reform operas (apart from parts of Paride ed Elena). Secondly, there are several great solo dramatic scenes, two of them for Armide herself: the opera’s closing scene, in which she rails furiously at Renaud’s treachery, and one at the end of Act 2, where, discovering him asleep and torn between love and hatred of her enemy, she cannot bring herself to kill him.
The success of Armide, then, depends critically on the Armide herself. In the only other reasonably recent recording (HMV, 7/83 – nla), Felicity Palmer sang the role with immense passion. Here it goes to Mireille Delunsch, who brings to it a good deal of intensity where it is needed but does not have command of a wide range of tone, and does not seem to make much use of her words. Her voice is perhaps a high mezzo rather than a true soprano, which is by no means inappropriate (imagine what Dame Janet Baker might have done with this role!). There is some graceful singing in the softer music, such as ‘La chaine de l’Hymen’ in Act 1, the well-known pathetic air ‘Ah! si la liberte’ (very touchingly done) at the opening of Act 3 or at the moving conclusion of that act (markedly reminiscent of Iphigenie en Tauride). The scene where she cannot bring herself to kill Renaud is finely done, with a firm line, clear detail and a degree of passion, but neither here nor in the invocation of Hate is there a great deal of agitation or emotional tension. The closing scene is of course powerfully done, and is also conducted with plenty of fire. This is a very adequate performance by Delunsch though a little short of a thrilling one. Renaud is sung by Charles Workman, in a strong tenor, sounding almost baritonal in his opening scene with Artemidore but then singing the sleep song, ‘Plus j’observe ces lieux’, with soft, sweet tone and much delicacy. The lovers’ duet in Act 5 is sung gently and with much charm.
Among the other singers, Ewa Podles of course makes a strong impression as La Haine (Hate) with her large and steady voice – and some remarkable music to sing. Francoise Masset and Nicole Heaston sing Armide’s confidantes and various smaller roles; Heaston in particular sings with delicacy and allure. Laurent Naouri shows a pleasant, firm baritone as Hidraot, and Yann Beuron (whose lyrical high tenor and clarity of diction give especial pleasure) and Brett Polegato sing the two lesser male roles.
Marc Minkowski makes much of the score’s colour and flow. He uses a substantial orchestra (the strings are 10.7.4.5.4) which, however, plays lightly and flexibly and with rhythmic spring, and there is some excellent solo woodwind playing (notably the flute solos, from Kate Clark). He tends, as usual, towards quickish tempos: here and there, and especially in some of the dances (of which a few are omitted), I wished he would give the music a little more space. But he certainly keeps the score moving along well, is attentive to the accompanying figures and to the characterization of individual numbers – there are jolly and lively pieces here as well as impassioned ones – and he draws alert, spirited singing from the chorus.–Stanley Sadie
Performer:
Armide - Mireille Delunsch
Renaud - Charles Workman
La Haine - Ewa Podles
Phénice/Mélisse - Françoise Masset
Sidonie/Une bergerè/Lucinde - Nicole Heaston
Artémidore/Le Chevalier danois - Yann Beuron
Ubalde - Brett Polegato
Aronte - Vincent Le Texier
Un Plaisir - Magdalena Kozená
Hidraot - Laurent Naouri
Une naïade - Valérie Gabail
Chœur des Musiciens du Louvre
Les Musiciens du Louvre
Conductor - Marc Minkowski
Tracklist:
Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787)
Armide
CD1:
01. Overture
Premier Acte
Scène 1
02. Duo «Dans un jour de triomphe» (Phénice, Sidonie)
03. Air «Je ne triomphe pas» (Armide)
04. Duo «Qu'importe qu'un captif manque» (Sidonie, Phénice)
05. Air et Récitatif «Les enfers ont prédit cent fois» / «Un songe affreux» (Armide)
06. Air «Vous troublez-vous d'une image légère» (Sidonie)
Scène 2
07. Introduction et Récitatif «Armide, que le sang qui m'unit avec vous» (Hidraot)
08. Air «Je vois de près la mort» (Hidraot)
09. Air «La chaîne de l'hymen m'étonne» (Armide)
10. Air «Pour vous, quand il vous plaît» (Hidraot)
11. Récitatif «Contre mes ennemis» (Armide, Hidraot)
12. Air «Si je dois m'engager un jour» (Armide)
Scène 3
13. Chœur et soli «Armide est encore plus aimable» / «Nos ennemies» / «Suivons Armide, et chantons» (Coryphées, Hidraot, peuples de Damas, Phénice, Sidonie)
14. Andante
Scène 4
15. Soli et chœur «Ô ciel! Ô disgrâce cruelle!» (Aronte, Armide, Hidraot, Sidonie, Phénice, peuples de Damas)
16. Chœur «Poursuivons jusqu'au trépas» (Armide, Sidonie, Phénice, Hidraot, Aronte, peuples de Damas)
Deuxième Acte
Scène 1
17. Introduction et Récitatif «Invincible héros» (Artemidore, Renaud)
18. Air «Le Repos me fait violence» (Renaud) / Duo «Fuyez les lieux où règne Armide» (Artemidore, Renaud)
Scène 2
19. Introduction et Récitatif «Arrêtons-nous ici» (Hidraot, Armide)
20. Duo «Esprits de haine et de la rage» / Récitatif «Dans le piège fatal notre ennemi s'engage» (Armide, Hidraot)
Scène 3
21. Air «Plus j'observe ces lieux» (Renaud)
Scène 4
22. Trio «Au temps heureux où l'on sait plaire» (Une Naïade, deux coryphées en écho)
23. Chœur avec danse «Ah! Quelle erreur, quelle folie» (Coryphées)
24. Moderato
25. Air «On s'étonnerait moins» (Une Bergère)
26. Chœur avec danse «Ah! Quelle erreur, quelle folie» (Nymphes, bergers, bergères)
Scène 5
27. Introduction et Récitatif «Enfin, il est en ma puissance» (Armide)
28. Air «Ah! Quelle cruauté de lui ravir le jour!» (Armide)
29. Air «Venez, secondez mes désirs» (Armide)
Troisième Acte
Scène 1
30. Air «Ah! Si la liberté me doit être ravie» (Armide)
Scène 2
31. Duo et Récitatif «Que ne peut point votre art?» / «Votre amitié dans mon sort s'intéresse» (Phénice, Sidonie, Armide)
32. Air «De mes plus doux regards Renaud sut se défendre» (Armide)
33. Trio «Que votre art serait beau!» (Phénice, Sidonie, Armide)
Scène 3
34. Air «Venez, venez, Haine implacable!» (Armide)
Scène 4
35. Récitatif «Je réponds à te voeux» (La Haine)
36. Air et Chœur «Plus on connaît l'amour» (La Haine, la suite de la Haine)
37. Andante
38. Air et chœur «Amour, sors pour jamais» (La Haine, la suite de la Haine)
39. Introduction, Soli et Chœur «Sors, sors du sein d'Armide» (La Haine, Armide, la suite de la Haine)
40. Solo et Chœur «Suis l'amour, puisque tule veux» (La Haine, la suite de la Haine)
41. Air «Ô ciel! Quelle horrible menace!» (Armide)
CD2:
Quatrième Acte
Scène 1
01. Duo «Nous ne trouvons partout que des gouffres» / Récitatif «Allons chercher Renaud» (Le Chevalier danois, Ubalde)
02. Duo «Redoublons nos soins» / Récitatif «On voit d'ici le séjour» (Ubalde, le Chevalier danois)
Scène 2
03. Air et Chœur «Voici la charmante retraite» (Lucinde, démons)
04. Musette - Second Air - Musette
05. Récitatif «Allons, qui vous retient encore?» (Ubalde, le Chevalier danois)
06. Trio «Enfin je vois l'amant» (Lucinde, le Chevalier danois, Ubalde)
07a. «Ce sceptre d'or peut dissiper une erreur» (Ubalde)
Scène 3
07b. Duo «Je tourne en vain les yeux de toutes parts» (Le Chevalier danois, Ubalde)
Scène 4
08. Trio «D'où vient que vous vous détournez» (Melisse, Ubalde, le Chevalier danois)
09. Trio «Pourquoi faut-il encor m'arracher mon amant?» (Melisse, Ubalde, le Chevalier danois)
10. Duo «Fuyons les douceurs dangereuses» (Ubalde, le Chevalier danois)
Cinquième Acte
Scène 1
11. Introduction et Récitatif «Armide, vous m'allez quitter!» (Renaud, Armide)
12. Duo «D'une vaine terreur pouvez-vous être atteinte» (Renaud, Armide)
13. Duo «Aimons-nous» (Armide, Renaud) / Récitatif «Témons de notre amour extrême» (Armide)
Scène 2
14. Chaconne
15. Solo et Chœur «Les Plaisirs ont choisi pour asile» (Un Plaisir, chœur des Plaisirs)
16. Solo et Chœur «C'est l'amour qui retient dans ses chaînes» (Un Plaisir, chœur des Plaisirs)
17. Gracieux
18. Solo et Chœur «Jeunne cœurs» (Un Plaisir, chœur des Plaisirs)
19. Air sicilien
20 Air «Allez, éloignez-vous de moi» (Renaud)
Scène 3
21. Récitatif «Il est seul» (Ubalde, Renaud)
22. Trio «Notre général vous appelle» (Ubalde, Renaud, le Chevalier danois)
Scène 4
23. Récitatif «Renaud! Ciel! Ô mortelle peine!» (Armide, Renaud)
24. Trio «Il faut partir» (Le Chevalier danois, Ubalde, Renaud)
Scène 5
25. Air «Le perfide Renaud me fuit» (Armide)
26. Récitatif et Postlude «Quand le barbare était en ma puissance» (Armide)
Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 5 from 4. May 2009
EAC extraction logfile from 22. January 2011, 11:04
Christoph Willibald Gluck / Armide 1
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Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 5 from 4. May 2009
EAC extraction logfile from 22. January 2011, 11:47
Delunsch, Workman, Minkowski / Armide (CD2)
Used drive : ASUS DRW-1814BLT Adapter: 0 ID: 0
Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No
Read offset correction : 6
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Used output format : User Defined Encoder
Selected bitrate : 128 kBit/s
Quality : High
Add ID3 tag : No
Command line compressor : C:\Program Files\FLAC\flac.exe
Additional command line options : -8 -V %s
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Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre - Christoph Willibald Gluck: Armide (1999)
Thanks to the original releaser