Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
The vocal works of Hector Berlioz are less familiar than his gigantic orchestral pieces, but in the right hands they're delightful. This release by French soprano Véronique Gens, who is at the absolute peak of her powers, has all you could ask. It has the sheer creamy goodness of Gens' voice, made still tastier by her obvious enthusiasm for the likes of Ravel's Asie (Asia) from the Shéhérazade set. It offers a distinction from earlier traversals of the same material: the song cycle Les Nuits d'été (Summer Nights), especially, has been the province of big dramatic sopranos, but Gens' reading is more chamber-sized, and indeed more in line with the medium-sized halls Berlioz would have known in material of this kind. The album has a novel item: the early Berlioz cantata Herminie, written in 1828 as one of his unsuccessful attempts to capture the Prix de Rome. (He finally succeeded with Sardanapale in 1830.) The music of this piece has links to the Symphonie fantastique, and in general it has the fearlessly showy lyricism that makes the music of the young Berlioz so attractive. The album boasts excellent orchestral support from the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire under conductor John Axelrod, who fully merits his full-page picture in the CD version's booklet. Sound ideally suited to the dimensions of Gens' voice is just a bonus by this time. This is state-of-the-art Berlioz (and Ravel).
© TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr133,33/month
Herminie, H. 29 (Hector Berlioz)
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Les nuits d'été, Op. 7, H. 81 (Hector Berlioz)
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Hector Berlioz, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Shéhérazade (Maurice Ravel)
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Maurice Ravel, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Maurice Ravel, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestra - Maurice Ravel, Composer - Veronique Gens, Artist, MainArtist - John Axelrod, Conductor
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Album review
The vocal works of Hector Berlioz are less familiar than his gigantic orchestral pieces, but in the right hands they're delightful. This release by French soprano Véronique Gens, who is at the absolute peak of her powers, has all you could ask. It has the sheer creamy goodness of Gens' voice, made still tastier by her obvious enthusiasm for the likes of Ravel's Asie (Asia) from the Shéhérazade set. It offers a distinction from earlier traversals of the same material: the song cycle Les Nuits d'été (Summer Nights), especially, has been the province of big dramatic sopranos, but Gens' reading is more chamber-sized, and indeed more in line with the medium-sized halls Berlioz would have known in material of this kind. The album has a novel item: the early Berlioz cantata Herminie, written in 1828 as one of his unsuccessful attempts to capture the Prix de Rome. (He finally succeeded with Sardanapale in 1830.) The music of this piece has links to the Symphonie fantastique, and in general it has the fearlessly showy lyricism that makes the music of the young Berlioz so attractive. The album boasts excellent orchestral support from the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire under conductor John Axelrod, who fully merits his full-page picture in the CD version's booklet. Sound ideally suited to the dimensions of Gens' voice is just a bonus by this time. This is state-of-the-art Berlioz (and Ravel).
© TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 01:05:24
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Véronique Gens Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire John Axelrod
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Ondine
- Genre: Classical Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred)
(C) 2012 Ondine (P) 2012 Ondine
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.
