Arthur Honegger - Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher

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• published: 08 Oct 2015
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- Composer: Arthur Honegger (10 March 1892 -- 27 November 1955) - Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra - Choirs: Czech Philharmonic Chorus, Kuhn Children's Chorus - Conductor: Serge Baudo - Spoken roles: Jeanne d'Arc - Nelly Borgeaud Brother Dominic - Michel Favory The ass, Reynold of Chartres, John of Luxemburg, a peasant, the priest - Rene Brun William of Flavy, the usher - Francois Loup A voice (in the prologue), Mother of Barrels - Annie Gaillard Bedford, Herold III, Miller Musty, another peasant - Tony Jacquot Perrot - Anne-Marie Rodde - Sung roles: Soprano (in the prologue), the Virgin - Christianne Chateau Margaret (soprano) - Anne-Marrie Rodde Catherine (contralto) - Huguette Brachet Herold I, the clerk (tenor) - Pedro Proenza Tenor solo, Porcus - Zdenek Jankovsky Bass solo, Herold II - Francois Loup Child's voice - Lenka Loubalova - Year of recording: 1966 Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher {Joan of Arc at the Stake}, dramatic oratorio for various speakers & vocal soloists, chorus & orchestra, H. 99, written between 1935-1944. 00:00:00 - 0. Prologue 00:07:25 - I. Les Voix du ciel (The Voices from heaven) 00:09:37 - II. Le Livre (The Book) 00:12:58 - III. Les Voix de la terre (The Voice of the earth) 00:16:28 - IV. Jeanne livrée aux bêtes (Joan given up to the beasts) 00:24:38 - V. Jeanne au poteau (Joan at the stake) 00:27:52 - VI. Les rois, ou l'invention du jeu de cartes (The kings, or the invention of the game of cards) 00:33:01 - VII. Catherine et Marguerite (Catherine and Margaret) 00:36:11 - VIII. Le Roi qui va-t-à Rheims (The king sets out for Rheims) 00:47:59 - IX. L'Épée de Jeanne (The Sword of Joan) 01:02:55 - X. Trimazo (Trimazo) 01:03:44 - XI. Jeanne d'Arc en flammes (The burning of Joan of Arc) The dramatic oratorio Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher remains the best-known and most-often-played composition of Arthur Honegger. Since its premiere in 1938, Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher has enjoyed both critical and popular esteem. Honegger, however, claimed that he had merely put his talents at the disposal of the immensely talented Paul Claudel, the French poet and politician who wrote the work's libretto. In 1934, dancer Ida Rubenstein, taken with the concept of the medieval mystery play, approached Honegger with the idea for an oratorio based on the life of the recently canonized Joan of Arc. But their first meeting with Claudel went poorly. The poet felt that the project was too difficult, that it was impossible to improve upon the story of the warrior maid. Yet, riding the train home, he was suddenly struck with inspiration; the libretto was complete days later. Claudel's libretto ranges from dark humor to heartbreaking poignancy. Puns are interspersed with scriptural allusions; medieval Latin legal terms are juxtaposed with mystical images. The dramatic action flows freely, irrespective of chronology: the stake is located at a confluence of past, present, and future. In addition to the libretto, Claudel provided Honegger with scenarios detailing what should happen in the music, which the composer was later to cite in reducing his role to that of collaborator. But Honegger rose to meet the powerful libretto. At this point in his career, he had begun writing film scores (he would compose more than 40), and Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher is certainly dramatic. The chorus alone runs the gamut from whispering to wordless humming, from singing exuberant folk melodies to shouting accusations at the heroine. Honegger achieved further variety by using several different groups, including speaking parts (Joan and the friar), solo voices (3 women, 2 men), and a second chorus (of children). The composer not only utilized percussion and winds skillfully, but also used new instruments (the expressive ondes martenot) and old ones in new ways (anticipating later composers such as Cage, Honegger used a prepared piano). Composed in 1935, the oratorio did not have its premiere until 12 May 1938. However, its overwhelming reception finally guaranteed Honegger the admiration of the French artistic community, which had previously regarded him with some skepticism. In 1944 they would add the Prologue to Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, which compares the formless void of Genesis to the darkness enveloping France during the Hundred Years' War. The date of its addition suggests the intention of a further comparison to France during World War II. Honegger's score caricatures various older forms in its darkly comic moments, including chant, Medieval song, Baroque ritornello, folk song, and 1930s jazz. These in turn set off soaring, lyrically expressive moments. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher is one of those rare works in which both text and music rise to the occasion demanded by the lofty subject. Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher is dedicated: "à Madame Ida Rubinstein". The spoken text is not always perfectly timed to the notes, whenever this was the case I chose to follow the text instead of the notes...