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Brilliant Classics

Honegger: Petite Chapelle, Songs

Romantic Dramatic Energetic Virtuosic Triumphant
$14.99

Details

Composer
Arthur Honegger
Artist
Eleni Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
Format
CD
Label
Brilliant Classics
Released
Oct 24, 2025
Catalog #
BRI97644
UPC
5028421976440

About

Arthur Honegger's song output falls into two distinct periods. The first spans his apprentice years from 1914 - the date of the first of the 4 Poemes H.7 - to 1924. He returned to art song on the eve of the Second World War, and Eleni-Lydia Stamellou sings two further sets of songs originally conceived as film accompaniments. In the 4 Poems there is a Debussyan turn to the harmony which mirrors the symbolist flavour of the text. More distinct from the model of Debussy is the album's title track, 'Petite Chapelle', with it's avowedly spiritual character. Honegger conceived his 3 Poemes de Paul Fort in the autumn of 1916. Here the relationship between music and text is more directly illustrative, as in the distant hunting horns to accompany the hunter lost in the forest. From February 1917, Nature morte stands alone as a musical still-life, a brief sketch of a bowl of peaches and white grapes. No less epigrammatic, but more musically adventurous as befitting the text, are Honegger's settings of the 6 Poemes d'Apollinaire which he composed between August 1915 and March 1917. But, for all Apollinaire's influence over the composers of 'Les Six' - Honegger included - Jean Cocteau was far more instrumental in determining their aesthetic aims. And though it was Apollinaire who had coined sur-realisme in response to seeing the premiere of Satie's ballet Parade in 1917, this new, mischievous spirit courses through Honegger's deft settings of Cocteau. Honegger makes a sincere tribute to one of France's most celebrated Renaissance-era poets in the Chanson de Ronsard from February 1924. From 1926, the 3 Chansons de La Petite Sirene feature whole-tone rising harmonies in the opening song, and the even briefer companions uphold a Satie-like inscrutability. At this point, Honegger continued in vocal music (operas, operettas and oratorio) but left song alone. However, in 1937, his soundtrack to Jean Choux 'talkie' remake of Louis Mercanton's 1920 silent film Miarka, la fille à l'ourse afforded an opportunity to write two brief songs. Eleni Lydia Stamellou's recital closes with another pair of songs written for the cinema, the Romances sentimentales for Un seul amour, a story by Balzac very loosely adapted for the screen by Pierre Blanchar. In a genre all their own are the settings of 3 Psaumes, which Honegger composed in occupied Paris over the winter of 1940/1. The sound of the organ underpins the Bachian flow accompanying Psalm 34 and the misty F minor chords beneath Psalm 140, even if the vocal line itself harks back to Honegger's song-writing of the 1920s. Other information: - Recorded April-December 2024 in St Petersburg, Russia - Booklet in English contains liner notes by Peter Quantrill and profiles of the musicians - Arthur Honegger (1892-1955) was a Swiss composer associated with the French musical movement Les Six. Known for his eclectic style, he blended elements of French impressionism, German romanticism, and modernist techniques. While Honegger is best known for his orchestral works, such as Pacific 231 and Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, his vocal compositions show a more intimate and lyrical side of his artistry. - Honegger's songs reflect his deep sensitivity to poetry and text, setting works by prominent French poets like Paul Fort and Jean Cocteau. His melodies for voice and piano exhibit rich harmonic textures and expressive phrasing, demonstrating both refinement and emotional depth. Unlike his orchestral pieces, which can be complex and rhythmically driven, his songs favor clarity and directness, allowing the poetry to shine through. - Greek soprano Eleni Lydia Stamellou was Prize Winner at the Ferruccio Tagliavini Competition in Austria, with Dame Joan Sutherland as the president of the jury. She subsequently attended masterclasses given by Teresa Berganza, Edda Moser and Christa Ludwig. She sang in opera productions with MusicAeterna conducted by Teodor Currentzis. Her specialization is Renaissance/Baroque and Contemporary Music. She sang in productions of Berio and Hersant.

Tracklist 31 tracks

  1. 1 No. 1. Le chasseur perdu en forêt 02:41
    Track
    1
    Title
    No. 1. Le chasseur perdu en forêt
    Duration
    02:41
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  2. 2 No. 2. Cloche du soir 03:23
    Track
    2
    Title
    No. 2. Cloche du soir
    Duration
    03:23
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  3. 3 No. 3. Chanson de fol 00:53
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 3. Chanson de fol
    Duration
    00:53
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  4. 4 No. 1. Le nègre 00:57
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 1. Le nègre
    Duration
    00:57
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  5. 5 No. 2. Locutions 00:58
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 2. Locutions
    Duration
    00:58
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  6. 6 No. 3. Souvenirs d'enfance 00:53
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 3. Souvenirs d'enfance
    Duration
    00:53
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  7. 7 No. 4. Ex-voto 00:47
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 4. Ex-voto
    Duration
    00:47
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  8. 8 No. 5. Une danseuse 00:41
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 5. Une danseuse
    Duration
    00:41
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  9. 9 No. 6. Madame 00:48
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 6. Madame
    Duration
    00:48
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  10. 10 No. 1. Chanson des sirènes 01:43
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 1. Chanson des sirènes
    Duration
    01:43
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  11. 11 No. 2. Berceuse de la sirène 00:52
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 2. Berceuse de la sirène
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  12. 12 No. 3. Chanson de la poire 00:23
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 3. Chanson de la poire
    Duration
    00:23
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  13. 13 No. 1. A la Santé 01:50
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 1. A la Santé
    Duration
    01:50
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  14. 14 No. 2. Clotilde 01:07
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 2. Clotilde
    Duration
    01:07
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  15. 15 No. 3. Automne 02:16
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 3. Automne
    Duration
    02:16
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  16. 16 No. 4. Saltimbanques 01:22
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 4. Saltimbanques
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  17. 17 No. 5. L'adieu 00:57
    Track
    17
    Title
    No. 5. L'adieu
    Duration
    00:57
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  18. 18 No. 6. Les cloches 01:37
    Track
    18
    Title
    No. 6. Les cloches
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  19. 19 Chanson de Ronsard, H. 54 01:37
    Track
    19
    Title
    Chanson de Ronsard, H. 54
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  20. 20 No. 1. Chanson de la route 01:22
    Track
    20
    Title
    No. 1. Chanson de la route
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  21. 21 No. 2. Chanson de l'eau 01:04
    Track
    21
    Title
    No. 2. Chanson de l'eau
    Duration
    01:04
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  22. 22 No. 1. Sur le basalte 04:00
    Track
    22
    Title
    No. 1. Sur le basalte
    Duration
    04:00
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  23. 23 No. 2. Petite chapelle 02:22
    Track
    23
    Title
    No. 2. Petite chapelle
    Duration
    02:22
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  24. 24 No. 3. Priere 02:49
    Track
    24
    Title
    No. 3. Priere
    Duration
    02:49
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  25. 25 No. 4. La mort passe 01:25
    Track
    25
    Title
    No. 4. La mort passe
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  26. 26 Nature morte, H. 11 01:28
    Track
    26
    Title
    Nature morte, H. 11
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  27. 27 No. 1. Psalm 34, "Jamais ne cesserai" 01:52
    Track
    27
    Title
    No. 1. Psalm 34, "Jamais ne cesserai"
    Duration
    01:52
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  28. 28 No. 2. Psalm 140, "O Dieu donne-moi delivrance" 02:46
    Track
    28
    Title
    No. 2. Psalm 140, "O Dieu donne-moi delivrance"
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  29. 29 No. 3. Psalm 138, "Il faut que de tous mes esprits" 00:54
    Track
    29
    Title
    No. 3. Psalm 138, "Il faut que de tous mes esprits"
    Duration
    00:54
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  30. 30 No. 1. Quand tu verras les hirondelles 02:58
    Track
    30
    Title
    No. 1. Quand tu verras les hirondelles
    Duration
    02:58
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova
  31. 31 No. 2. Si le mal d'amour 01:46
    Track
    31
    Title
    No. 2. Si le mal d'amour
    Duration
    01:46
    Composer
    Arthur Honegger
    Performer
    Eleni-Lydia Stamellou, Alexandra Listova