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From: cbf@allegra.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: Gabriel Faure
Message-ID: <2096@allegra.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 14-Dec-83 11:19:58 EST
Article-I.D.: allegra.2096
Posted: Wed Dec 14 11:19:58 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 16-Dec-83 01:56:32 EST
References: <293@flairvax.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 46

Wow!  An actual	Faure fan!  I must confess, as a die-hard francophile,
to like almost all French music (except Berlioz of course).  However
that's not a prerequisite for appreciating Gabriel Faure.

As for the pieces mentioned, I'm only familiar with the 13 Nocturnes.  
The recording I own is Jean-Phillipe Collard's on EMI (got it at Tower
as an import).  I'm not familiar with any other performance of them (my
Penguin lists a few ancient names), but I can't imagine this being
surpassed.  I usually don't like Collard -- there's some saying about
the paradox that the best advocates of French music are usually not
French -- his style is often too rigid, and devoid of charm and
elegance, although his technique is never in doubt, but here I think
he has the right touch.  If anything, I think his style might fuel
the usual attacks against Faure's "all-charm-and-no-substance".  True,
he could have sought out a little more depth in the later pieces, but
that's a very minor reservation about a fine record.  Penguin doesn't
think the recorded sound (from 1974) is up to snuff, but it hasn't 
bothered me.

A more recent Faure release, again on French EMI (also on Angel) and
again featuring Collard, is a generous selection (~20) of his songs,
mostly from two publications, an early and a later one.  This time,
Collard is accompanying Frederica von Stade, in a beautifully sung
performance.  Stereo Review, speaking of this record as one of their
"Best of the Month", voiced some complaints about Collard's lack
of flexibility.  True, his grip is a little too tight at times, 
especially in the earlier songs, but von Stade's radiant mezzo
conquers all.  One of my records of the year.  "Au bord de l'eau"
would be the hit single here, but there are greater songs on this
record.  Until someone (maybe Jessye Norman, drool, drool) decides
to record them all, this will be keep me pacified and happy.

Anyone new to Faure's music should probably start with his Requiem and
his two violin sonatas.  The Requiem is at the diametrically opposed
extreme from Verdi's earthsaking cries of "Libera me".  It is a very
intimate work, almost chamber-scaled, and is in its own way just as
intense.  I've been very happy with my Colin Davis recording on CBS.
The CBS sound is for once acceptable, even excellent, the Philarmonia's
playing is perfect in scale, and the Ambrosian Singers' "Agnus Dei" is
intensely moving.  I must admit to preferring Franck's violin sonata to
either of the Faure or the Debussy, but they are all great examples of
the French's unique touch in that form.  I have Arthur Grumiaux doing
the two Faure on Philips, and there are absolutely no reservations here.
--
"Yes, but is it art?"
Charles B. Francois (decvax!allegra!cbf)