Gabriel Fauré (Faure)

[Mirror Image]

The Kathryn Stott set is the first Faure I've ever heard and it blew me away instantly. FWIW, here are my reviews.

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,9.msg19995.html#msg19995

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,9.msg21793.html#msg21793

Excellent! Glad I bought the set.

[Mirror Image]

If you're looking for a more intimate atmosphere in the Requiem, then check out this Hyperion recording:



Truly a moving performance of the Requiem and the other choral works are gorgeous.

[71 dB]

If you're looking for a more intimate atmosphere in the Requiem, then check out this Hyperion recording:



Truly a moving performance of the Requiem and the other choral works are gorgeous.

Thanks, added to my wishlist.

[Mirror Image]

Thank, added to my wishlist.

You're welcome. I think you'll enjoy it as it's arrangement (by David Hill) is for soloists, full choir, violin, cello, harp, and organ. I've always had issues with the full orchestra version of this work as I felt everything was muddled (but this could very well just be my nasty ears). Anyway, I just like the amount of detail, subtlety, and clarity I hear in this particular arrangement as opposed to the full orchestra one.

[Madiel]

I am very much planning, when I finally get a Requiem, to get Faure's earlier version not the full orchestral one.

[Mirror Image]

I am very much planning, when I finally get a Requiem, to get Faure's earlier version not the full orchestral one.

That would be a great choice. Do you have your eye on any particular recording?

[Madiel]

That would be a great choice. Do you have your eye on any particular recording?

Not yet. I have a bunch of usual random notes of what others have recommended, and then I started listening to everything I could get my hands on at Deezer but hadn't gone very far with that process (I'll probably get back to that soon, actually, and take a break from Bach cello suites).

For everything I listen to, I do look to make a note of which version it is. Some people manage to do the 1900 full orchestration without being stodgy.

I did note with interest that a local (ie Australian) recording seemed rather promising. I hardly have any Australian recordings as most of the time the sources for decent quality reviews are in North America and Europe. It's not as if the ABC makes that many recordings anyway (and hardly anyone else would make any).

[Mirror Image]

Not yet. I have a bunch of usual random notes of what others have recommended, and then I started listening to everything I could get my hands on at Deezer but hadn't gone very far with that process (I'll probably get back to that soon, actually, and take a break from Bach cello suites).

For everything I listen to, I do look to make a note of which version it is. Some people manage to do the 1900 full orchestration without being stodgy.

I did note with interest that a local (ie Australian) recording seemed rather promising. I hardly have any Australian recordings as most of the time the sources for decent quality reviews are in North America and Europe. It's not as if the ABC makes that many recordings anyway (and hardly anyone else would make any).

Very cool. Well, if you have a chance to listen to David Hill's recording (on Hyperion), then please do. Matthew Best (also on Hyperion) has a good one. I'm not sure if Deezer has either of these recordings, but they're definitely worth looking into.

I have to thank ABC for bringing the world the music of Peter Sculthorpe. There's not many recordings of his music outside of this label. I have say that of all the Australian composers I've listened to over the years, he still strikes me a complete original who, for whatever reason, hasn't quite caught on outside of your country, which is a real shame.

[To everyone, please forgive me for derailing this thread. This wasn't my intention as Madiel mentioned the ABC and that sent me on a nonsensical assessment about Sculthorpe's music.]

[Madiel]

Very cool. Well, if you have a chance to listen to David Hill's recording (on Hyperion), then please do. Matthew Best (also on Hyperion) has a good one. I'm not sure if Deezer has either of these recordings, but they're definitely worth looking into.

Hyperion don't put their recordings on streaming services, unfortunately, though I'm sure I will at least sample them elsewhere. I willingly pursue Hyperion recordings.

The fact that Hill's recording is an arrangement is not ideal for me.

[schnittkease]

Hyperion don't put their recordings on streaming services, unfortunately, though I'm sure I will at least sample them elsewhere. I willingly pursue Hyperion recordings.

Hyperion's annoying that way, but their recordings are usually top-shelf so I tend to rely a bit more on reviews.

[Mirror Image]

Hyperion don't put their recordings on streaming services, unfortunately, though I'm sure I will at least sample them elsewhere. I willingly pursue Hyperion recordings.

The fact that Hill's recording is an arrangement is not ideal for me.

Yeah, Hill's recording is probably not the best for someone who doesn't own a recording of the work. Since this is the case, the Best recording should fit the bill.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

I find myself with these two, both of which seem to be of the 1893 version.



[asin]B000003CU2[/asin]

I have heard neither, as yet. (I also have recordings of the piece in an Ansermet box and a Cluytens box, but those would be the 1901 version.)

I can't say there is another in the catalog that strikes me as clearly preferable to these. Hopefully I'll get around to listening at some point.

[Mirror Image]

I find myself with these two, both of which seem to be of the 1893 version.



[asin]B000003CU2[/asin]

I have heard neither, as yet. (I also have recordings of the piece in an Ansermet box and a Cluytens box, but those would be the 1901 version.)

I can't say there is another in the catalog that strikes me as clearly preferable to these. Hopefully I'll get around to listening at some point.

That Shaw recording is fantastic. I haven't heard the Ansermet or Cluytens performances. You'll have to let me know what you think of them.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

I'm in a Fauré kind of mood...


A Fabulous Fauré Piano Music Primer

[insider content]

[Madiel]

I'm in a Fauré kind of mood...


A Fabulous Fauré Piano Music Primer

[insider content]

Oh, this is the one with those VERY early pieces.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Oh, this is the one with those VERY early pieces.

Two, yes. The hitherto unpublished sonata and the Mazurke [sic]. The rest is dotted throughout Faure's life.

[Florestan]

the Mazurke [sic].

https://books.google.ro/books?id=732p69PAG74C&pg=PA100&lpg=PA100&dq=faure+mazurke&source=bl&ots=-dhOEyAk6k&sig=ACfU3U1Rrcw9SOGPmL4FnDuXYHWY9KQzYg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiwocT-67PgAhWF-ioKHUUxCy0Q6AEwCnoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=faure%20mazurke&f=false

[Madiel]

There is a Parisian specialized second hand store that use to be called La Chaumière à Musique, now changed the name to Melomania, that is usually very well stocked with hard to find releases. They don't have it at the moment but you can try emailing them.

https://www.melomania.com/fr/melodies-55973

It took almost 6 months, but this worked.

[Mirror Image]

Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think of the mélodies series on Hyperion?





I'm looking for a more up-to-date series that has better sound than the old EMI set. I see that Malcolm Martineau also has a series on Signum Classics. There's several options here.

[Madiel]

Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think of the mélodies series on Hyperion?





I'm looking for a more up-to-date series that has better sound than the old EMI set. I see that Malcolm Martineau also has a series on Signum Classics. There's several options here.

Having actually sampled one of Martineau's Signum volumes just last night, I generally prefer the singers on the Hyperion set. Though there are some good sounding ones on Signum as well, there are also a few I don't personally like as much.

But there's a major qualification to that. Jennifer Smith on Hyperion is quite bad, and unfortunately she gets some major song cycles. I think she's on quite a bit of Volume 4 in particular.

Even with better singers, I'm not sure that Graham Johnson does as well in late Faure as with early and middle works. But then, who does?
My quest for a Jennifer Smith replacement led me to the Veronique Dietschy album that I utterly adore, but that's only 1 disc. For other songs I'm still looking for someone who has mastered the incredibly difficult subtleties of late Faure.