Volume 16 Issue 5 - February 2011

Avantgarde Favourites of the 20th Century(Scandinavian Classics 220571-205) performedby the Arthuis Sinfonietta. Buthearing Ligeti’sChamber Concertofor ThirteenInstruments,Webern’s Concerto,Varèse’ Octandre,Lutoslawski’s ChainI and Takemitsu’sRain Coming againexperience. To hear these seminal worksso well performed in a new context wasinvigorating. And the addition of HarrisonBirtwistle’s Ritual Fragment which I was notpreviously aware of was a real treat.Another wonderful revisitation was anexuberant new recording of Stravinsky’sRite of Spring by Gustavo Dudamel and theSimon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela(Deutsche Grammophon 477 8775).Although appointedMusic Director ofthe Los AngelesPhilharmonic in2009, Dudamelcontinues to workwith the outstandingyoung playersof his homeland asthese thrilling live recordings from Caracasin February 2010 attest. As always Dudamelbrings the best out in the youngsters andone would not likely guess this is anythingother than a fully professional orchestra justby listening. The Stravinsky is paired withLa noche de los mayas (Night of the Maya)by Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas.Completed a year before the composer’sdeath in 1940 La noche had to wait twentynot likely to replace Rite of Spring in therepertoire anytime soon, this is a dramatic,lyrical, colourful and powerful work that deservesto be much more widely heard. WithDudamel as its champion we can rest assuredthat it will be. musical experiences ofthe past several monthswas not a piece of musicat all, but rather a bookwritten by Toronto playwrightand director ofOne Little Goat Theatre,Adam Seelig. Every Dayin the Morning (slow)(New Star Books) is anovella crafted like a musical compositionand typeset in a very graphic way – its verysparse text spread over the page like poetry,with far more white space than print. Thisaffects, and effects, the way we read thismonologue, with pauses built in as an inherentpart of the process. Told alternately inthe inner thoughts of a writer’s-block-riddencomposer, railing against himself, the world,the classical music business, Steve Reich andthe minimalists, his father and his childlessmarriage. It is effective and compelling.immediately and read the book again, aloudthis time, and found it even more satisfying.WE WELCOME your feedback and invitesubmissions. CDs and comments shouldbe sent to: The WholeNote, 503 – 720VOCALHenri Duparc – Intégrale des MelodiesMarc Boucher; Olivier GodinXXI XXI-CD 2 1705Theodore Dubois – Chansons de MarjolieAnne Saint-Denis; Olivier GodinXXI XXI-CD 2 1704Henri Duparc,despite having beenpossibly most talentedpupils of CésarFranck, despitehaving been oneof the founders ofSociété Nationale deMusique Moderne(with Saint-Saëns),despite having livedto the age of 85, lefta legacy of fewerthan 40 works. Theshocking explanationis that Duparc, whostopped composingat 37 due to what was then diagnosed as“neurasthenia” (a type of mental exhaustionwith elements of depression, anxiety andpain), destroyed most of his works, includinghis only opera. In a letter to Jean Cras,Duparc wrote: “Having lived 25 years in asplendid dream, the whole idea of [musical]representation has become – I repeat toyou – repugnant. The other reason for thisdestruction, which I do not regret, was thecomplete moral transformation that Godimposed on me 20 years ago and which, in asingle minute, obliterated all of my past life.Since then, [my opera] Roussalka, not havingany connection with my new life, shouldno longer exist.”This album’s 17 songs have been calleda perfect blend of poetry and music, in nosmall part because Duparc was inspired bythe words of Gauthier, Sully-Prud’homme,Baudelaire and Cazalis. Marc Boucherand Olivier Godin, frequent collaboratorson stage and on record, are delightfullymatched and attuned to each other’s musicalsensibilities. These eminently able Quebecmusicians have successfully rendered songsrequiring not just musical skill, but also alove of these texts. A great introduction toBathurst St., Toronto ON M5S 2R4. Wealso encourage you to visit our website,www.thewholenote.com, where you canperformers, composers and record labels,“buy buttons” for on-line shopping andadditional, expanded and archival reviews.—David Olds,DISCoveries Editordiscoveries@thewholenote.comDuparc’s tragically small repertoire.François-Clément Théodore Dubois wasan almost-contemporary to Henri Duparc,their lives intersecting at many junctures,though his composing life was a much moreprestigious Prix de Rome in 1861, he alsotook over from César Franck as choirmasterat the Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde and, in1877, succeeded Camille Saint-Saëns asorganist at the Church of the Madeleine. Heserved as director of the Paris Conservatoirefrom 1896 to 1905.The true surprise is that his song cyclesremain virtually unknown and numerousoperas and ballets either have never beenperformed or have fallen into oblivion.The only work attaining some popularity ishis oratorio Les Sept Paroles de Christ. Inthis recording, Dubois’ compositions provea true epitome of French Romanticism.Though rarely indicating the type of voicethat should sing them, they neverthelessfollow faithfully the overall theme, usingcontemporary poetry and reaching for inspirationfrom the Renaissance and MiddleAges. Anne Saint-Denis is a revelation here:her voice is not really what one would call“beautiful,” with a somewhat over-pronouncedvibrato and shallow tessitura, andyet it seems perfectly suited. This rare, perfectmatch of music and instrument delivera true delight to the listener of this (mostlikely) unfamiliar music. The unfamiliaritypasses quickly, as one feels compelled tolisten again and again, soon humming alongto the tracks.—Robert TomasFebruary 1 - March 7, 2011 thewholenote.com 61