Le Jour Le Plus Long [Import]

1. Le Jour Le Plus Long

2. Toutes Les Nuits

3. Mi Carinito

4. Tu Croiras

5. Partie De Football

6. Cha Cha Cha

7. Bientot

8. Chez Moi

9. Loop De Loop

10. Quand Revient L'ete

11. Le Jour Du Retour

12. Eux

13. Que La Vie Etait Jolie

14. Sois Heureux

15. Ah Quelle Merveille

16. Ce Coin De Terre

17. Et La Elle A Dit

18. Ding Ding

19. Papa Achet' Moi Un Mari

20. Ils Sont Partis

See all 28 tracks on this disc

Tracks:

Vasnier Songbook: I. Pantomime
Vasnier Songbook: II. Calmes dans le demi-jour (En sourdine)
Vasnier Songbook: III. Mandoline
Vasnier Songbook: IV. Clair de lune
Vasnier Songbook: Fantoches
Vasnier Songbook: VI. Coquetterie posthume
Vasnier Songbook: VII. Romance - Silence ineffable
Vasnier Songbook: VIII. Musique
Vasnier Songbook: X. Paysage sentimental
Vasnier Songbook: X. Romance - Voici que le printemps
Vasnier Songbook: XI. La Romance d'Ariel
Vasnier Songbook: XII. Regret
Forgotten Melodies: I. C'est l'extase langoureuse
Forgotten Melodies: II. Il pleure dans mon coeur
Forgotten Melodies: III. L'ombre des arbres
Forgotten Melodies: IV. Chevaux de bois
Forgotten Melodies: V. Green (Aquarelle)
Forgotten Melodies: VI. Spleen (Aquarelle)
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: I. Le Balcon
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: II. Harmonie du soir
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: III. Le Jet d'eau
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: IV. Recueillement
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: V. La Mort des amants

Customer Reviews:

Classic Art Songs Sung with Brilliance and Artistry.......2006-11-10

Dawn Upshaw possesses a voice with beautiful bell canto tonal quality and uses the glissando technique, only when effective, rendering this collection of uncommon art songs superbly sung. The entire album is a joy to listen to...

Pretty, but not memorable.......2006-04-29

'Forgotton Songs, Dawn Upshaw sings Debussy' with James Levine at the piano is, to my layman's ear, very pretty to listen to, but not a whole lot to get excited about. If you are especially fond of Upshaw, you must have this recording. If you are especially fond of Debussy, other vocalists may have just a little more to offer. Everything about this recording is 'nice', just not a whole lot to get excited about.

Returning to the Recital Hall: A Soiree.......2005-04-09

Dawn Upshaw is one of the most intelligent and creative and adventuresome singers on the concert stage today. Just reviewing the list of her recordings available and it is obvious that she has paid attention to both contemporary and established composers in a way that is truly refreshing.

Here the program is devoted to the works of Claude Debussy, a composer for whom Upshaw has a particular penchant. Her voice is crystal clear, perfectly focused and yet not afraid to animate when the lyrics demand. She covers three cycles here: 'Ariettes oubliees' (for this listener the most successful on the album), 'Racueil Vasnier', and 'Cinq Poemes de Charles Baudelaire' (contrast these with the recently released Susan Graham version and see what interpretation is all about!).

The collaboration between Upshaw and James Levine is sensitive (if not always the pianism of others..). But the entire recital is uplifting and satisfying for the variation in the songs, recorded sound, the generosity of the disc, and most of all for the musical intelligence in which these songs are performed! Grady Harp, April 05

Pretty sound spoiled by a bad vocal habit.......2004-05-07

Every voice teacher I have ever had, and I have had many, were unanimous in their advice that sliding into notes is something that must be done with great moderation. Dawn Upshaw does it all the time and to the ears of a trained singer it becomes extremely annoying extremely quickly. Constant sliding into notes is less objectionable if one actually reaches the right pitch in the process. Miss Upshaw frequently does NOT, resulting in numerous instances where she is simply not in tune at all on some notes. Her sliding also creates constant dissonances with the piano which are entirely undebussyesque. If it were Webern or Berg she were singing she might get away with it. Here she does not. NOT RECOMMENDED.

P.S. Since writing this review (quite some time ago), I was fortunate to hear a recording of Ms. Upshaw in a production at the Metropolitan Opera where she didn't do any of her annoying sliding at all - not once - (probably because it was music from a much earlier time) The difference was astounding. It was a glorious performance. It was hard to believe it was the same person. This, more than ever, confirms my opinion that she ruined this recording with a bad singing habit.

Excellent!.......2003-11-26

This recording of Debussy's Melodies are really excellent. Dawn Upshaw's voice is exactly right for this kind of music - light, charming, and lyrical, with real sensitivity to the text. The Ariettes Oubliees are the best I've heard, with the exception of Frederica von Stade. In addition, her interpretation of Mandoline from the Vasnier Songbook is perfect - the tempo, piano, voice, and interpretation are exactly right. My only criticism is that the diction, while perfectly clear, has an "American" accent that is sometimes distracting.

Debussy - Mélodies / Ameling · Mesplé · Command · Souzay · von Stade · Baldwin

Average customer rating:

Apart from flutter and bluster, this is divinely beautiful.
good value
Very nice sellection of pieces and artists
Fabulous compositions, moments of great performing
A Great Tribute to Debussy's Melodies

Debussy - Mélodies / Ameling · Mesplé · Command · Souzay · von Stade · Baldwin
Claude Debussy , Mady Mesplé , Gérard Souzay , Frederica von Stade , Elly Ameling , Michèle Command , and Dalton Baldwin
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Von Stade, Frederica | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Fauré - Mélodies / Souzay · Ameling · Baldwin
Poulenc - Melodies / Ameling · Gedda · W. Parker · Sénéchal · Souzay · Baldwin
Susan Graham - La Belle Époque (The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn)
Forgotten Songs: Dawn Upshaw Sings Debussy
The Songs of Henri Duparc

ASIN: B000002S32
Release Date: 1992-01-23

Tracks:

Claude Debussy: Nuit d'etoiles
Claude Debussy: Fleur de bies
Claude Debussy: Beau soir
Claude Debussy: Mandoline
Claude Debussy: La Belle au Bois dormant
Claude Debussy: Voici que le printemps
Claude Debussy: Paysage Sentimental
Claude Debussy: Zephyr
Claude Debussy: Rondeau 4 Chansons de jeunesse
Claude Debussy: I Pantomime
Claude Debussy: II Clair de lun, 1re Version
Claude Debussy: III Pierrot
Claude Debussy: IV Apparition
Claude Debussy: Rondel chinois
Claude Debussy: Aimons-nous et dormos
Claude Debussy: Jane
Claude Debussy: Jane
Claude Debussy: Romance
Claude Debussy: Les Cloches
Claude Debussy: Les Angelus
Claude Debussy: Dans le jardin
Claude Debussy: La Mer est plus belle
Claude Debussy: Le Son du cor s'affige
Claude Debussy: L'Echelonnement des haies Fetes galantes
Claude Debussy: I En sourdine
Claude Debussy: II Fantoches
Claude Debussy: III Clair de lune

Tracks:

Claude Debussy: I Le Balcon
Claude Debussy: II Harmonie du soir
Claude Debussy: III Le Jet d'eau
Claude Debussy: IV Recueillement (Meditation)
Claude Debussy: V La Mort des amants
Claude Debussy: I De Reve
Claude Debussy: II De Greve
Claude Debussy: III De Fleurs
Claude Debussy: IV De Soir
Claude Debussy: I C'est l'extase
Claude Debussy: II Il pleure dans mon coeur
Claude Debussy: L'Ombre des arbres dans la riviere
Claude Debussy: IV Paysages delges - Chevaux de bois
Claude Debussy: V Aquarelle n 1 Green
Claude Debussy: VI Aquarelle n 2 Spleen

Tracks:

Claude Debussy: I La Flute de Pan
Claude Debussy: II La Chevelure
Claude Debussy: III Le Tombeau des Naiades
Claude Debussy: I Les Ingenus
Claude Debussy: II Le Faune
Claude Debussy: III Colloque sentimental
Claude Debussy: I Rondel ; 'Le Temps a laissie son manteau'
Claude Debussy: II Rondel : 'Pour ce que plaisance est morte'
Claude Debussy: I Aupres de cette grotte somre
Claude Debussy: II Crois mon conseil, chere Climene
Claude Debussy: III je tremble en voyant ton visage
Claude Debussy: I Ballade de Villon a s'amye
Claude Debussy: II Ballade que Vilon feit ala
Claude Debussy: III Ballade des femmes de Paris
Claude Debussy: I Soupir
Claude Debussy: II Placet futile
Claude Debussy: III Eventail
Claude Debussy: Noel des enfants qui n'ont plus de maison

Customer Reviews:

Apart from flutter and bluster, this is divinely beautiful........2007-05-18

This 3CD recording presents a very substantial part of Debussy's vocal works. It's full of the most superb and mysterious songs you'll ever hear. Debussy had such a marvellously unique harmonic approach, and it gives the impression of mist and mystery, of the insubstantial and unearthly. This makes those songs which feature characters of the Italian commedia d'arte (Harlequin, Pierrot, Columbine, etc.) so astonishing, and his songs of the beauties of the night and the moon so very beautiful.

The songs are almost entirely of a very high standard, and show how well Debussy knew the voice. (In my opinion, he particularly knew the virtues of the typical light high French soprano voice, and I can certainly attest that the majority of his songs lie beautifully and very comfortably in the soprano coloratura voice.) Occasionally there's a song that isn't of that typical high standard (the peculiar but very early song "Rondel chinois" comes to mind - it's a lovely thing to sing, but it's not a song of any distinction), but most of these are perfect gems.

The singing on this set varies a little. On the plus side is the ever-beautiful Elly Ameling, who had perhaps the most limpidly beautiful light lyrical soprano voice the world has ever heard; the amazing Frederica von Stade, who sings divinely; Michele Command, whose more robust soprano voice is often stunning; the experienced baritone Gérard Souzay (I have to admit I do not like his voice myself - his timbre and approach are not to my taste - but he is certainly very experienced in this genre and his French is so beautiful to listen to)... and on the not-so-plus side (for me, anyway) is the coloratura soprano of Mady Mesplé. I know there are devoted fans of Ms Mesplé - I must admit I am not one of them. While I admire the glorious ease of her top notes, and the young and attractive sound of the voice's natural timbre, I LOATHE what is to me an unbearable fluttering vibrato that ruins her singing. It sounds extraordinarily under-supported and very uncomfortable - but I also admit that Ms Mesplé clearly has a deep feeling for these mélodies. She certainly knows how to phrase - and certainly the range of her voice is remarkable. If only that twitter could be magicked away... then I'd probably be very satisfied with her singing.

Overall, then, this set is a charming and well-chosen array of almost all of Debussy's vocal output. It is not complete, though. I would recommend supplementing this delightful 3CD set with the recording of Debussy songs by Sandrine Piau, the somewhat bland but extremely pretty recording of Debussy's early songs by Gillian Keith, and the recording of Debussy songs sung by Anne-Marie Rodde (again, so very pretty, and it is one of the few recordings to include Debussy's duet "Chanson espagnole" - which is otherwise represented quite hideously on a recording by a tenor and baritone).

There's also some amazingly beautiful singing of Debussy songs on an album by Christine Oelze (her timbre reminds me so much of Ameling's - just lovely, and what excellent French!).

I have not listened to Dawn Upshaw's recording of Debussy songs, as she is not one of my favourite singers, but given that I've enjoyed her French performances in the past, I do plan to add her recording entitled "Forgotten Songs" to my collection.

And with all of that lot, you, the Debussy collector, will have a truly wonderful collection of Debussy's songs to hand!

good value.......2007-01-07

Whilst this may not be the most amazing of all recordings of Debussy's works, it stands to say that it is a valuable source of listening reference for singer and indeed fans for Debussy's works. 3 discs make it a worthwhile bargain!

Very nice sellection of pieces and artists.......2006-05-01

'Melodies', a three CD collection of art songs by Claude Debussy is a far better investment than the Dawn Upshaw issue, 'Forgotten Songs' which I recently reviewed. At the very least, it seems these songs are not as forgotton as Upshaw would make us believe, as here they are on a collection headlining Elly Ameling and Frederica von Stade. I am not really up on modern classical performers, but even I know these are two major league sopranos.

If you like Debussy, you will certainly like this collection. If you are a died in the wool Upshaw fan, Miss Dawn's effort may sould a bit better to you.

I think this one definitely gives you more for the money.

Fabulous compositions, moments of great performing.......2002-08-07

This compilation is a fantastic resource for singers and colaborative pianists everywhere--and no one will argue with the beauty of Debussy's compositions.
Gerard Souzay seems like he's just going through the motions on all of his tracks; Elly Ameling has fabulous technique as always, but there is something wanting; Mady Mesple gives a great (if not heartfelt) performance. The standout performance on this disc is of the Ariettes Oubliees, as performed by Frederica von Stade. Beautiful, and the emotion is there.
I would recommend it for any singer's library. I do, however, hesitate to give it 5 stars and recommend it to everyone because the emotion just isn't there through many of the tracks--and Debussy without emotion is like bread without yeast--flat.

A Great Tribute to Debussy's Melodies.......2000-11-18

This set of cds is a must for anyone interested on performing any of Debussy's melodies. It really helps to listen to these to learn the pieces, as the singers are supurb and perform the songs with great artistic interpretation.

Average customer rating:

De Bambino Au Jour Le Plus Long
Dalida
Manufacturer: Universal
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00018I9XG
Release Date: 2005-04-20

Tracks:

Bambino
Gondolier
Les Gitans
Come Prima
Love In Portofino
Ciao Ciao Bambina
T'aimer Follement
Les Enfants Du Pir
Romantica
Itsi, Bitsi, Petit Bikini
Garde-Moi La Dernie Danse
Le Jour Le Plus Long
La Danse De Zorba
Il Silenzio

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Reissue of the Original LP Release.

Average customer rating:

Dalida in Lounge

Le Jour le Plus Long
Dalida
Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

French Pop | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000006XZ9
Release Date: 1998-06-30

Tracks:

Jour le Plus Long (Longest Day) - Dalida, Burt Random
Toutes Les Nuits (All Through the Nights) - Dalida, Raymond LeFevre, Burt Random
Mi Cari - Dalida,
Tu Croiras (Stand by Me) - Dalida, Raymond LeFevre
Partie de Football (Partita Di Palone)
Cha Cha Cha
Bient
Chez Moi (Down Home)
Loop de Loop
Quand Revient l'Summer Holiday)
Jour du Retour (San Antonio Rose)
Eux
Que la Vie ait Jolie [L'Inconnue de Hong Kong]
Sois Heureux (Lettera Di un S)
Ah Quelle Merveille (The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm) ...
Ce Coin de Terre (This Land Is Your Land)
Et Llle a Dit (La Il a Dit/Loody Lo)
Ding Ding
Papa Achet' Moi un Mari
Ils Sont Partis [Du Film: Dr Folamour]
Tant d'Amour du Printemps
Je Ne Sais Plus (You Don't Own Me)
Ne T'En Fais Pas Pour
Ne Lis Pas Cette Lettre
Je T'Aime (It's Over)
Chaque Instant de Chaque Jour (Any Old Time of Day)
Chacun Sa Chance
Amore Scusami (Amour Excuse-Moi) - Dalida, Raymond LeFevre

Customer Reviews:

Dalida in Lounge.......2001-09-25

Sadly,charismatic and beautiful Dalida occasionaly sounded like she hopped on any passing music train which happened to be in trend.As much as her 1956. beginnings were mesmerising in their european version of pop glamour,her early 1960's work seems like a one long struggle to grab any hit available.It makes you wonder which one was her real personality,the woman who sang all those exotic songs about Fado and Portugal at the beginning or the one who later giggled and hick-upped her way through lightweight nonsense as "Loop De Loop","Loddy Lo" and "Ding Ding" (all present here) - not to mention unforgettable "Itsy Bitsy Petit Bikini" from CD nr.4 (1960).With notable exceptions of a few covers ("Summer Holiday","Down Home","Any Old Time Of Day"),too many of songs from this CD is far below the standard of such a gifted singer who was 30 at the time and whose voice was capable of much more.Althought she sings all these cute little silly songs with enhusiasm,they sound somehow wrong for a lady with such a regal presence.

Average customer rating:

Very pretty and with the virtues of that prettiness

Debussy: Early Songs

Manufacturer: Deux-Elles
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Forgotten Songs: Dawn Upshaw Sings Debussy
Susan Graham - La Belle Époque (The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn)

ASIN: B0000926RI
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Customer Reviews:

Very pretty and with the virtues of that prettiness.......2007-05-18

Gillian Keith's voice is a young very pretty light soprano, with ease in the top notes and considerable agility. She brings all of that plus her very good French to this recording of often unrepresented Debussy songs - some rarities indeed of Debussy's early vocal compositions.

Accompanist Simon Lepper is marvellous. He plays like limpid streams of water - transparent, beautiful, full of movement and colour and reflections.

Where this album falls for me is in the vocal interpretation. What I hear is sound - very pretty sound, but not a remarkable facility for interpretation. I feel the phrasing is musical but perfunctory, so that many times a moment of significance is lost because it is not phrased with more feeling. And while the voice is (as I said) very pretty, and the top notes are sung with ease, it does seem to me that some of those top notes are slightly pinched... a little white and not quite matching the rest of the voice. But this is a minor criticism - from what I can see, Ms Keith has plenty of time to develop her technique further, and it's always a pretty sound and with such a lovely line of clarity.

It's charming to listen to, and if I was left wanting a little more, it doesn't detract from the prettiness of it. I think this will please many listeners. Recommended.

Le Jour le Plus Long/Le Temps de Fleurs/Ciao Amor Ciao

Average customer rating:

Le Jour le Plus Long/Le Temps de Fleurs/Ciao Amor Ciao
Dalida
Manufacturer: Universal
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000GKH1YC
Release Date: 2006-11-01

Guillaume Dufay: Complete Secular Music - The Medieval Ensemble of London / Peter Davies & Timothy Davies

Average customer rating:

A great library builder, just a bit dull
Good but a bit outdated
Consistently the best Dufay recording ever
A treasure

Guillaume Dufay: Complete Secular Music - The Medieval Ensemble of London / Peter Davies & Timothy Davies

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Chansons | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Virelais | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Tracks:

Ce jour de l'an voudray joye mener
Entre vous, gentils amoureux
Resvellies vous et faites chiere lye
J'ay mis mon cuer et ma pens e
Navr je sui d'un dart penetratif
L'alta belleza tua, virtute, valore
helas, et quant vous veray?
Je donne a tous les amoureux
je veuil chanter de cuer joyeux
Mon cuer me fait tous dis penser
je requier a tous amoureux
Resvelons nous, resvelons, amoureux
Invidia nimica
Ma belle dame, je vous pri
Passato il tempo omaj di quei pensieri
Pour ce que veoir je ne puis
Par droit je puis bien complaindre et gemir
Belle, que vous ay ie mesfait
Se madame je puis veir
Mon chier amy, qu'aves vous empens

Tracks:

Belle plaissant et gracieuse
Ma belle dame souveraine
Helas, ma dame, par amours
J'atendray tant qu'il vous playra
J'ay grant
La belle se siet au piet de la tour
Ce moys de may soyons lies et joyeux
Je ne suy plus tel que souloye
La dolce uista
Je me complains piteusement
Bien veignes vous, amoureuse liesse
Dona i ardenti ray
Quel fronte signorille in paradiso
Bon jour, bon mois, bon an et bonne estraine
Estrines moy, je vous estrineray
Je ne puis plus ce que y'ai peu
Pour l'amour de ma doulce amye
He, compaignons, resvelons nous
Adieu ces bon vins de Lannoys
pour l'amour de ma doulce amye
Portugaler
Belle, veullies moy retenir
Vergene bella, che di sol vestita
Belle, vueillies vostre mercy donner

Tracks:

C'est bien raison de devoir essaucier
Mon bien, m'amour et ma maistresse
Je prens congie de vous, amours
Mille bonjours je vous presente
Craindre vous vueil, doulce dame de pris
Entre les plus plaines danoy
Se la face ay pale
Dona gentile, bella come l'oro
Bien doy servir de volente entiere
Las, que feray? Ne que je devenray?
Hic iocundus sumit mundus
Pouray je avoir vostre mercy?
Qu'est devenue leaulte?
Ce jour le doibt, aussi fait la saison
Seigneur Leon, vous soyes bienvenus
Donnes l'assault a la fortresse

Tracks:

Se la face ay pale
Je languis en piteux martire
Trop lonc temps ai est en desplaisir
J'ayme bien celui qui s'en va
Va t'en, mon cuer, jour et nuitie
Puisque celle qui me tient en prison
Vo regard et doulce maniere
Or pleust a dieu qu'a son plaisir
Juvenis qui puellam
Je n'ai doubt fors que des envieux
Par la regart de vos beaux yeux
Adieu, quitte le demeurant de ma vie
S'il est plaisir que je voux puisse faire
Belle, vueilles moy vangier
Lamentatio sanctae matris ecclesiae constantinopolitanae
Adieu m'amour, adieu ma joye
Se la face ay pale
Ne je ne dors ne je ne veille
Puisque vous estez campieur

Tracks:

O flos florum virginum
Je vous pri, mon tres doulx ami
Ma plus mignonne de mon cueur
Departes vous, male bouche et envie
Dieu gard la bone sans reprise
En triumphant de Cruel Dueil
Je ne vis onques la pareille
De ma haulte et bonne aventure
Du tout m'estoie abondonn
Malheureulx cueur, que vieulx tu faire?
Mon seul plaisir, ma doulce joye
Helas mon dueil, a ce cop sui ie mort
Franc cuer gentil, sur toutes gracieuse
Vostre bruit et vostre grant fame
Resistera....
Le serviteur hault guerdonn
Les douleurs, dont me sens tel somme

Customer Reviews:

A great library builder, just a bit dull.......2006-08-06

'Complete Secular Music' by Guillaume Dufay is a great work to have if you are building a library of classical music. But, speaking for the amateur listener who happens to like old music, working your way through the five CDs makes you wish you had gotten the 'greatest hits' compilation. It turns out Dufay's liturgical music is much more interesting to my ears. This collection is basicly about 100 songs in French, which have little of the charm of more recent French chansoms or even a comparable selection of Shubert songs. I'm really happy to have this boxed set, but I will probably not listen to it very often.

Good but a bit outdated.......2000-07-08

I hate to be a spoilsport on the outstanding ratings of this set. It is certainly an invaluable collection of the secular songs, and as a musicologist interested in this repertory I'd hate to be without it. But some poor performance practices--for example, the failure to recognize that the introductory melismas are actually equipped with the opening vowel (and are hence vocal)--leads to bizarre consequences. One consequence is that there are introductory "instrumental" passages and "instrumental interludes" that make nonsense of the musical continuity in some pieces: continuous vocal performance is required. Dufay surely did not intend the strange alternation of instrumental and vocal passages heard in this recording, I think. The whole set needs to be redone in recognition of more recent performance research.

Consistently the best Dufay recording ever.......2000-02-11

To add to the splendid comments by the first reviewer -- this is quite possibly the best, most faithful/authentic/scholarly Dufay ever recorded. It's worth every penny (and at 30 bucks this is beyond a bargain for 96 chansons!) just to hear such masterpieces as: (10 on disc 1) 'Mon cuer me fait tous dis penser' -- possibly the most gorgeous chanson of the 15th century. Plus, to hear the whole corpus of secular music presented in one huge macro-performance is extremely instructive in crystalizing one's impression of Dufay's genius. His style strikes even (especially?) the modern listener as amazingly fresh and relevant -- the liner notes and complete texts are quite an oeuvre by themselves... a lovely anthology of period formes-fixes poetry! (And, I might add -- I find all the performers, including Timothy Penrose both masterly and scholarly in their interpretations.) This is a must buy for fans of Early Music and a worthy introduction to 15th century music for those who are unfamiliar with the period but wish to invest in a guaranteed winner. You won't be disappointed! Buy now!

-- Justin Weaver

A treasure.......1999-12-20

Grab this while it lasts! This is a reissue of a 1980 recording that will remain forever unsurpassed - both because its quality is so great, and also because no one in this day and age will dare to undertake such a massive project again. Think about it - the entire Dufay secular output! Listening to these songs, written more than 500 years ago, reveals how little has changed in the intervening centuries. Many styles and genres came and went, but the human impulse to express emotion in a song remained the same. This is why these old songs remain so appealing today. Dufay, who was possibly the greatest composer of his time, wrote most of his secular music in the fixed medieval forms (such as rondeau, virelais and ballade), but his songs transcend the formalities because he was such a remarkable melodist. Listen to such masterpieces as Vergene Bella or Donnes L'Assault a la Fortresse to know what I mean. The informative sleeve notes explain the characteristics of each style. The recording took into consideration the latest available musicological research into Dufay and his times. To cover the entire ground, some compositions are presented here in several different versions. Vocal and instrumental pieces alternate to provide variety (as the notes inform, the pieces with incomplete texts were not vocalized). The instruments (a typical medieval array) consist of recorders, flutes, dulcians, shawns, trumpets, rebecs and fiddles; plus lute, harp and clavichord used for continuo. The singers are excellent. The recording features half of the Hilliard (in its then-existing roster): Rogers Covey-Crump, Paul Elliott, Paul Hillier & Michael George. Tenor John Elwes contributes some fine singing (particularly in the spectacular Vergene Bella, sung solo to a fiddle and rebec). The only person who is perhaps not up to the highest standards is countertenor Timothy Penrose, although his singing is definitely adequate. On balance, a very satisfying release. Buy! gkolomietz@yahoo.com