Sings Duparc Melodies

On this CD:

1. L'invitation au voyage ("Mon enfant, ma soeur"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

2. Sérénade florentine ("Étoile dont la beauté luit"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

3. La vague et la cloche ("Une fois, terrassé par un puissant breuvage"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

4. Extase ("Sur un lys pâle"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

5. Phidylé ("L'herbe est molle au sommeil"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

6. Le manoir de Rosamonde ("De sa dent soudaine et vorace"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

7. Lamento ("Connaissez-vous la blanche tombe"), song for voice & piano
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

8. Testament ("Pour que le vent te les apporte"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

9. Chanson triste ("Dans ton coeur..."), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 2/4
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

10. Elégie ("Oh! ne murmurez pas son nom!"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

11. Soupir ("Ne jamais la voir"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 2/1
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

12. La vie antérieure ("J'ai longtemps habité..."), song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

13. Le Galop ("Agite, bon cheval"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 2/5
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

14. Sérénade ("Si j'étais, ô mon amoureuse"), song for voice & piano, Op. 2/2
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

15. Au pays où se fait la guerre, song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

16. Romance de Mignon ("Le connais-tu, ce radieux pays"), song for voice & piano, Op. 2/3
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

17. La Fuite ("Au firmament sans étoile"), duet for soprano, tenor & piano
Composed by Henri Duparc
Performed by Jose Van Dam, Maciej Pikulski

Tracks:

Sous Le Ciel De Paris
Si Mes Vers Avaient Des Ailes
Le Chevalier De Paris
A La Seine
Plaisir DAmour
Le Malheur DAimer
Clair De Lune
Les Feuilles Mortes
Mister Georgina
Le Bonheur Est Chose Lre
Blues
Barbara
Romance
Paris Canaille
LInvitation Au Voyage
JEntends JEntends
Chanson DAmour
Ne Me Quitte Pas
Heureux Celui Qui Meurt DAimer
La Diva De LEmpire

Album Description

What makes a wonderful song? My own view is that a great song is that magical combination of a good poem with good music, resulting in a whole that is greater than the mere sum of its parts. This is a collection of some wonderful songs of France, both "classical" and pop, dating from about 1800 through the 20th century. There are songs of nostalgia, playfulness, tragedy, loneliness, irony, and mystery, mostly involving love in its myriad guises. It has been an adventure -- exploring the nuances of the language and the music. I hope you enjoy listening to these songs as much as we have enjoyed working on and performing them. Eileen Mager.

Customer Reviews:

No no no no.......2005-02-07

Wonderful selections, but if we are looking for a beautiful voice this is not it. Screechy, forced, at times unlistenable. Sometimes we just have to no when to say no!

A clever fusion.......2005-01-31

Imagine modern French chansons like Jacques Brel's Ne Me Quitte Pas or the well known Sous le Ciel de Paris performed in the style of Schubert lieder --- no percussion or elaborate instrumental backing, just a voice, singing in the traditional formal style, with piano accompaniment. That's roughly the idea behind Eileen Mager's recording of Classic French Songs.

It works well. The effect is not what one normally expects from French cafe music, but then, Mager includes songs by Debussy, Faure, and Satie, so it is to hardly surprising that the overall flavour is of a lieder recital. While Mager's voice is not the smoothest and most honeyed soprano around, and she uses falsetto for her upper range, nevertheless she hits the notes spot on, and the rough tones somehow suit the songs. Even as a lieder recital, one wants the hint of tobacco and absinthe when the song is about Mister Giorgina playing the accordion in a bistro with no name.

Amateurish.......2003-06-29

I'm sorry to be negative, but I feel that the two previous reviews are misleading. They implied I'd be hearing some fabulous unknown here--but no, this is a charming program sung by a roundly second-rate artist. Mager's voice has an unpleasant raspy quality which is completely unsuited to classical song and perhaps to high notes altogether. There's also the occasional breathiness and pitch instability. If you're used to hearing Susan Graham sing Hahn and Janet Baker sing Faure, be prepared for a disconcerting experience. There's a reason this CD is not on a major label. Mager is somewhat more credible on the popular songs, however, and perhaps she'll concentrate on those in the future. The one 100% enjoyable and polished song on the CD is "Mister Georgina"--we want more like that!

What a Voice!.......2001-09-28

Not knowing French but loving the country's music, I purchased this CD expecting to hear a culture of songs that could be added to my collection. I was not disappointed. Actually, I added a bonus to my collection because of the manner by which these songs were presented. The feeling of "being there" is in every song. From the intro of the sounds of Paris to the dancing in Piccadilly Square (a Frenchman's view of an English music hall femme fatale) ... accomplished by a single voice accompanied by piano.

What a voice! Eileen Mager's voice is whatever she wishes it to be ... early English, classical Italian, festival German, or seductive French. The range of her voice is from a rich deep contralto singing "Blues" by Ferre to an angelic soprano singing "Si Mes Vers Avaient Des Ailes" by Reynaldo Hahn. I was very impressed with her "Mister Giorgina" by Ferre.

Ellen Brown is a sought-after accompanist in all of Phoenix ... this CD displays the reason. She feels the music with the soloist.

I am looking forward to Eileen Mager's other CDs, "Christmas Treasures," "Vivaldi a Due Voce," and "Broadway: Love & Laughter," and I highly recommend to all who love an absolutely beautiful voice in their entertainment room this CD of "Classic French Songs."

What a fabulous CD!.......2001-09-04

I loved this CD. As a matter of fact, my son and I listened to it seven times the first day. Why?

Because it's so interesting, and has such an incredible breadth of repertoire and expression--from the mischievous and boisterous "Paris Canaille" to the sweet, delicate and operatic "Le Bonheur Est Chose Legere"; and from the out-and-out coquettish fun of Satie's "La Diva De 'L'Empire'" to the dreamy joy of Duparc's "L'Invitation Au Voyage" to the anguish of Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas." I especially enjoyed hearing, in addition to Joseph Kosma and Jacques Prevert's "Les Feuilles Mortes" ("Autumn Leaves"), another song by the same composer and lyricist that is completely unfamiliar to American listeners, the deeply moving World War II remembrance called "Barbara."

Because it's gorgeous. Eileen Mager's voice has great purity and clarity of tone, effortless delivery. Her French diction is so clean that my five-year-old son can (and does) easily pick up and repeat even the French that goes at rapid-fire speed. She uses a broad palette of vocal colors; and her range extends from the lyric coloratura soprano to the bluesy alto. Ms. Mager and her excellent accompanist, Ellen Brown, work together as one; and Ms. Brown, who is also an arranger and who accompanied her on their earlier CD, "Christmas Treausures," adds a special touch of her own to the songs.

The accompanying CD booklet contains translations of all the songs (done by the singer herself, with the able help and counsel of French poet/librettist/teacher Michel Sarda), so listeners who don't speak French will be able to enjoy the recording as much as those who do.