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Perceval - The Quest for the Grail, Vol. 2 / Taylor, La Nef
Sono Luminus

Perceval - The Quest for the Grail, Vol. 2 / Taylor, La Nef

$18.99

Details

Composer
BERGERON GIGNAC
Artist
La Nef
Format
CD
Label
Sono Luminus
Released
Feb 12, 1997
Catalog #
DOR-90294
UPC
053479029423

About

REVIEW:

When we last left Perceval (heard on La Nef’s earlier Dorian recording, Perceval, The Quest for the Grail Vol. 1--type Q383 in Search Reviews) he was departing from Belrepeire Castle, scene of his victorious battle and home of his beautiful, beloved lady Blancheflor, determined to return to his mother, who he had long ago left grieving and sorrowful. In this Volume 2, Perceval, sung with clear, unadorned, lyrical beauty by countertenor Daniel Taylor in perhaps his best recorded performance to date, falls into many more adventures, some quite mysterious and even surreal. His encounter with the Fisher King in the Castle of the Grail involves a bizarre processional that involves a spear dripping with blood, a candelabra, a silver platter, and, unbeknownst to Perceval, the Grail itself. The next morning, all he has seen has vanished. For years more he wanders, facing many challenges and meeting a strange and wonderful cast of characters--a maiden, an injured goose, the Hideous Damsel, and a Holy Hermit--all of whom help reveal secrets regarding his journey and of the Grail, “a thing of great sacredness that supports and fortifies life.”

If you’re not familiar with the amazing Canadian ensemble La Nef, you owe it to yourself to hear its performances, and the two discs that make up the story of Perceval and the Grail are a good place to start. What these musician/storyteller/actors have done is adapted the 12th-century texts of Chrétien de Troyes’ version of the grail story and set them to various existing and newly composed tunes, supported with original and highly effective instrumental accompaniments. In a strange way, La Nef has modernized the story and its presentation while preserving an aura of “ancientness” through use of old instruments--harp, viol, psaltery, early guitar, shawm, percussion, recorder--the ancient languages, and perfectly chosen, characterful voices. There’s an abundance of beautiful music here, and the tunes are always tastefully and imaginatively used--the British folksong “Ca’ the yowes” set to the words “Tout le jour, sa voie tint”; the clever interjection of the old English song “Brid one brere” (Bird on briar) into the scene where Perceval finds the injured goose; and the varied use of the Easter plainchant “Victimae paschali laudes” at Perceval’s Good Friday visit to the Hermit.

One of the disc’s highlights is the haunting solo and accompaniment to the Fisher King’s song of greeting, a tune adapted from a Gaelic melody. All of the voices and instrumental performances are outstanding (especially Taylor, baritone Rafik Samman, soprano Catherine Herrmann, contralto Claire Gignac, viol player Betsy MacMillan, and guitarist Sylvain Bergeron) and they’re captured in Dorian’s trademark top-notch sound. This disc and its companion volume provide two of the most delightful hours you can spend with a recording. If you like great stories, fantastic music, and a bit of medieval magic, you can’t go wrong with La Nef and Perceval.

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 20 tracks

  1. 1 Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): Overture: Le Cortege 01:08
    Track
    1
    Title
    Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): Overture: Le Cortege
    Duration
    01:08
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  2. 2 Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): Tout le jour, sa voie tint (Perceval) 03:23
    Track
    2
    Title
    Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): Tout le jour, sa voie tint (Perceval)
    Duration
    03:23
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Daniel Taylor
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  3. 3 Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): Ami, ne vous affectez (The Fisher King, Young Man) 06:07
    Track
    3
    Title
    Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): Ami, ne vous affectez (The Fisher King, Young Man)
    Duration
    06:07
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Rafik Samman, Hugues Saint-Gelas
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  4. 4 Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): Le cortege (2 Girls) 02:29
    Track
    4
    Title
    Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): Le cortege (2 Girls)
    Duration
    02:29
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Viviane LeBlanc, Catherine Herrmann
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  5. 5 Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): A Slow Air 02:03
    Track
    5
    Title
    Le Chateau du Graal (The Castle of the Grail): A Slow Air
    Duration
    02:03
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  6. 6 La Jeune Fille et Son Mort (The Maiden and Her Dead Love): Lasse! malaureuse (A Girl) 03:34
    Track
    6
    Title
    La Jeune Fille et Son Mort (The Maiden and Her Dead Love): Lasse! malaureuse (A Girl)
    Duration
    03:34
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Viviane LeBlanc
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  7. 7 La Jeune Fille et Son Mort (The Maiden and Her Dead Love): Ha! Perceval (A Girl) 02:02
    Track
    7
    Title
    La Jeune Fille et Son Mort (The Maiden and Her Dead Love): Ha! Perceval (A Girl)
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Viviane LeBlanc
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  8. 8 L'oie Blessee (The Injured Goose): Passait un vol d'oies sauvages (Chorus) 03:37
    Track
    8
    Title
    L'oie Blessee (The Injured Goose): Passait un vol d'oies sauvages (Chorus)
    Duration
    03:37
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  9. 9 L'oie Blessee (The Injured Goose): Brid one breere (Perceval) 05:11
    Track
    9
    Title
    L'oie Blessee (The Injured Goose): Brid one breere (Perceval)
    Duration
    05:11
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Daniel Taylor
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  10. 10 L'oie Blessee (The Injured Goose): Young man's lamentation 01:21
    Track
    10
    Title
    L'oie Blessee (The Injured Goose): Young man's lamentation
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  11. 11 L'oie Blessee (The Injured Goose): Young man's lamentation 01:40
    Track
    11
    Title
    L'oie Blessee (The Injured Goose): Young man's lamentation
    Duration
    01:40
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  12. 12 Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): Grande joie fit le Roi (The Court) 01:03
    Track
    12
    Title
    Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): Grande joie fit le Roi (The Court)
    Duration
    01:03
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  13. 13 Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): Rejouissances 1-2 01:41
    Track
    13
    Title
    Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): Rejouissances 1-2
    Duration
    01:41
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  14. 14 Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): La malediction (Hideous Damsel) 04:27
    Track
    14
    Title
    Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): La malediction (Hideous Damsel)
    Duration
    04:27
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Claire Gignac
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  15. 15 Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): 5 ans passerent 02:23
    Track
    15
    Title
    Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): 5 ans passerent
    Duration
    02:23
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  16. 16 Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): A Scotch measure 02:49
    Track
    16
    Title
    Perceval a la Cour d'Arthur (Perceval at the Court of Arthur): A Scotch measure
    Duration
    02:49
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  17. 17 Le Vendredi Saint Chez L'Ermite (Holy Friday with the Hermit): De Pascha (Chorus) 02:20
    Track
    17
    Title
    Le Vendredi Saint Chez L'Ermite (Holy Friday with the Hermit): De Pascha (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  18. 18 Le Vendredi Saint Chez L'Ermite (Holy Friday with the Hermit): Doux Sire, bien a 5 ans (Perceval, The Hermit) 02:59
    Track
    18
    Title
    Le Vendredi Saint Chez L'Ermite (Holy Friday with the Hermit): Doux Sire, bien a 5 ans (Perceval, The Hermit)
    Duration
    02:59
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Daniel Taylor, Rafik Samman
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  19. 19 Le Vendredi Saint Chez L'Ermite (Holy Friday with the Hermit): Pascha Nostrum (The Hermit) 01:22
    Track
    19
    Title
    Le Vendredi Saint Chez L'Ermite (Holy Friday with the Hermit): Pascha Nostrum (The Hermit)
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Rafik Samman
    Ensemble
    La Nef
  20. 20 Le Serment de Perceval (Perceval's Oath): Chaconne: Le Serment - Biaux frere bienvenu soyez (Arthur, 2 Girls) 05:46
    Track
    20
    Title
    Le Serment de Perceval (Perceval's Oath): Chaconne: Le Serment - Biaux frere bienvenu soyez (Arthur, 2 Girls)
    Duration
    05:46
    Composer
    Sylvain Bergeron
    Performer
    Rafik Samman, Viviane LeBlanc, Catherine Herrmann
    Ensemble
    La Nef