Jean Fournet
Methodical, unflappable (he is said to have seldom raised his voice), and subtle in the ways of the French repertory, Jean Fournet saw his career extend over an extraordinarily long period. After having established himself in his native country, he proved a welcome addition to opera companies in America, where the French style had become something of a lost art. Beyond stage work, he proved, both early and late, a persuasive interpreter of the French symphonic literature. After studies at the Paris Conservatoire, Fournet made his debut in his native city in 1936; two years later, he was engaged by Rouen on a permanent basis. In 1940, he moved to Marseilles and, beginning in 1944, presided over the Paris Opéra-Comique as music director, simultaneously offering instruction in the art of conducting at the École Normale. In the 1950s, he was involved in several recording projects that enhanced his reputation considerably, notably his Fauré Requiem and a lightly turned Les Pêcheurs de perles. Two further appointments awaited him in Europe before he turned to a regimen of guest conducting: in 1961 he became conductor of the Netherlands Radio Symphony, and from 1968 to 1973, he served as artistic director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Fournet made his American opera debut with the Chicago Lyric Opera in 1965 directing a double bill consisting of a staged Carmina Burana and Ravel's magical L'heure espagnole, the latter with Teresa Berganza, Alfredo Kraus, and Sesto Bruscantini. The conductor impressed immediately as one who could imprint elegance and respect for French style on his casts. His success led to further assignments, each helping reestablish the French wing in a city that had known great French artists in decades past. Among the productions were Les Pêcheurs de perles in 1966, another double bill (Le Rossignol and Oedipus Rex) in 1968, Werther in 1971, Pelléas et Mélisande in 1972, Manon in 1973, and Don Quichotte in 1974. In 1987, Fournet made his Metropolitan Opera debut conducting a production of Samson et Dalila. In addition to a number of orchestral discs, Fournet recorded the aforementioned Les Pêcheurs de perles for Philips with Léopold Simoneau and Pierrette Alarie, still unsurpassed. Fournet's Fauré and Berlioz Requiems are also impressive, likewise his 1973 Chicago Manon with Kraus and Zylis-Gara.
© TiVo
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Berlioz: Four Cantatas
Jean Fournet, Gérard Garino, Dutch Radio Choir and Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ruud van der Meer, Liewu Visser
Klassik - Erschienen bei Denon am 01.01.2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy: La damoiselle élue - Chabrier: À la musique & extraits du Roi malgré lui (Mono Version)
Janine Micheau, Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, Jean Fournet
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1950
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: Requiem / Faure: Requiem
Paul Van Kempen, Coro dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Jean Fournet, Choeurs Elisabeth Brasseur, Orchestre Lamoureux
Klassik - Erschienen bei Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. am 18.03.2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Franck: Rédemption
Gé Neutel, The Netherlands Radio Choir, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Jean Fournet, Frans Muller
Klassik - Erschienen bei Brilliant Classics am 31.07.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Henri Tomasi : Triomphe de Jeanne (9 juin 1960)
Orchestre National de la RTF - Jean Fournet
Klassik - Erschienen bei Ina, musique(s) am 28.10.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Delibes: Suites de Sylvia & Coppélia (Mono Version)
Jean Fournet, Orchestre Lamoureux
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
French Symphonies
Jean Fournet, Naomi Matsui, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Klassik - Erschienen bei Denon am 01.01.1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pierné and Fournet conduct Pierné (Paris, 1934-1950)
Gabriel Pierné, Jean Fournet, Solistes des Concerts Colonne, Orchestre des Concerts Colonne
Klassik - Erschienen bei XXI Music am 04.05.2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fauré: Suite de Pelléas et Mélisande, Op. 80 - Debussy: Petite suite, L. 65 (Mono Version)
Orchestre Lamoureux, Jean Fournet
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1956
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Egyptian" (Mono Version)
Magda Tagliaferro, Jean Fournet, Orchestre Lamoureux
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Borodin: In the Steppes of Central Asia - Rimsky-Korsakov: Sheherazade - Mussorgsky: Night On Bald Mountain (Mono Version)
Orchestre Lamoureux, Jean Fournet
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1958
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune & Dukas: L'apprenti sorcier (Mono Version)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Jean Fournet
Klassik - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ouvertures d'opéras français (Mono Version)
Orchestre Lamoureux, Jean Fournet
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1956
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Suite algérienne (Mono Version)
Orchestre Lamoureux, Jean Fournet
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1958
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Berlioz: La damnation de Faust (Mono Version)
Mona Lauréna, Georges Jouatte, Orchestre Radio Lyrique, Jean Fournet
Klassik - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1953
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Grieg: Peer Gynt, Suites Nos. 1 & 2 (Stereo Version)
Jean Fournet, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ravel: Complete Piano Works & Piano Concertos by Jean Doyen (2024 Remastered, Paris 1954-1960)
Jean Doyen, Jean Fournet, Orchestre Lamoureux
Klassik - Erschienen bei Alexandre Bak - Classical Music Reference Recording am 03.05.2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Lalo: Ouverture du Roi d'Ys, Rhapsodie norvégienne & Namouna suite No. 1 (Mono Version)
Orchestre Lamoureux, Jean Fournet
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1955
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Franck: Variations symphoniques - Fauré: Ballade, Op. 19 (Mono Version)
Jean Doyen, Orchestre Lamoureux, Jean Fournet
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1955
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande (Mono Version)
Janine Micheau, Camille Maurane, Orchestre Lamoureux, Jean Fournet
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Concerto pour piano No. 2 - d'Indy: Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français (Mono Version)
Jean Doyen, Jean Fournet, Orchestre Lamoureux
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei BNF Collection am 01.01.1956
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo