Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Stéphane Denève – Honegger : Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher (2019) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Stéphane Denève – Honegger : Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:19:16 minutes | 1,31 GB | Genre: Sacred Oratorios
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher is one of the most inventive oratorios ever composed, constantly flitting between styles and colours. It follows the historic French heroine in the hours leading up to her execution. Indeed, the run-up to her death sentence is reconstructed as if in a crime novel. Paul Claudel’s lively libretto contrasts Jeanne with an assorted lot of strange and wonderful characters. More than enough reason for Honegger to open up a colourful paintbox: the work features a succession of choral passages infused with spirituality, cubist-like blocks of sound and even bits of material reminiscent of the music hall. This is grist to conductor Stéphane Denève’s mill, who is a leading authority on French music and a regular guest with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; together with two choirs and a variety of soloists and actors, he realized a compelling and moving Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher.

“A “dramatic oratorio” it might be, but the performance at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw moved it in the direction of opera. This was a consequence particularly of Caecilia Thunnissen’s most effective “mise-en-espace”.” (Anthony Ogus)

“An intense Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra” (BACHTRACK)

Tracklist:
1. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: I. Prologue (07:36)
2. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: II. Les Voix du Ciel (02:10)
3. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: III. Le Livre (03:39)
4. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: IV. Les Voix de la Terre (04:11)
5. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: V. Jeanne livrée aux bêtes (09:21)
6. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: VI. Jeanne au poteau (03:29)
7. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: VII. Les Rois ou L’invention du jeu de cartes (05:13)
8. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: VIII. Catherine et Marguerite (03:16)
9. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: IX. Le Roi qui va-t-à-Rheims (11:28)
10. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: X. L’Épée de Jeanne (15:46)
11. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: XI. Trimazô (00:50)
12. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher, H. 99: XII. Jeanne d’Arc en flammes (12:09)

Personnel:
Judith Chemla, narrator
Jean-Claude Drouot, voice
Christian Gonon, voice
Adrien Gamba-Gontard, voice
Claire de Sévigné, soprano
Christine Goerke, soprano
Judit Kutasi, mezzo-soprano
Jean-Noël Briend, tenor
Steven Humes, Bass
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Rotterdam Symphony Chorus
Stéphane Denève, conductor

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