Berlioz: Les Nuits d'¿¿t¿¿; Harold en Italie

by Michael Spyres, Timothy Ridout, John Nelson, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg

Overview

This release is part of a Berlioz series by conductor John Nelson and the Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg, but it is the soloists who shine here. Tenor Michael Spyres, who is really hitting his stride, has a voice pleasantly suited to French music, rounded and subtle, but there is more; Berlioz suggested that several singers perform the orchestral song cycle Les nuits d'ete, Op. 7, but Spyres takes all the songs himself. Moreover, he does them in the original keys, which is rarer still. This calls for a singer with exceptional control of dynamic extremes in different parts of his range, and Spyres is exceptionally flexible in this regard. There is a confidence and nonchalance to this performance that grows on the listener as the performance proceeds, even as the sound engineering puts Spyres too far front and center to the detriment of the orchestra's contributions. This isn't so pronounced in the anti-concerto Harold en Italie, Op. 16, and here again, there is a standout soloist; Timothy Ridout offers a rich sound and a real narrative quality that seems to evoke the score's source in Lord Byron's long poem. This exceptionally satisfying Berlioz album hit best-seller charts in late 2022. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	01/13/2023
Label:	Erato
UPC:	5054197196850
Rank:	50345

Tracks

1. Les Nuits d'¿¿t¿¿, Op. 7 (1856 version)~I. Villanelle
2. Les Nuits d'¿¿t¿¿, Op. 7 (1856 version)~II. Le spectre de la rose
3. Les Nuits d'¿¿t¿¿, Op. 7 (1856 version)~III. Sur les lagunes
4. Les Nuits d'¿¿t¿¿, Op. 7 (1856 version)~IV. Absence
5. Les Nuits d'¿¿t¿¿, Op. 7 (1856 version)~V. Au cimeti¿¿re
6. Les Nuits d'¿¿t¿¿, Op. 7 (1856 version)~VI. L'¿¿le inconnue
7. Harold en Italie, Op. 16~I. Harold aux montagnes. Sc¿¿nes de m¿¿lancolie, de bonheur et de joie (Adagio - Allegro)
8. Harold en Italie, Op. 16~II. Marche des p¿¿lerins chantant la pri¿¿re du soir (Allegretto)
9. Harold en Italie, Op. 16~III. S¿¿r¿¿nade d'un montagnard des Abruzzes ¿¿ sa ma¿¿tresse (Allegro assai - Allegretto)
10. Harold en Italie, Op. 16~IV. Orgie de brigands. Souvenirs des sc¿¿nes pr¿¿c¿¿dentes (Allegro frenetico - Adagio - Tempo I)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Timothy Ridout   Primary Artist,Viola
Michael Spyres   Primary Artist,Tenor (Vocal)
John Nelson   Primary Artist,Conductor
Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg   Primary Artist,Orchestra

Technical Credits

Daniel Zalay   Producer
Stephane Friederich   Liner Notes
Alain Lanceron   Executive Producer
Hector Berlioz   Composer
Paul Mitchell   Design
Olivier Rosset   Engineer
Saul Lipetz   Liner Note Translation
Kaupo Kikkas   Photography
Stephan Egghart   Liner Note Translation