This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
-
Nouveau Théâtre Musical4
Reynaldo Hahn Mélodies: Chansons grises, Études latines
Bruno Laplante, baritone; Janine Lachance, Rena Sharon, Marc Durand, piano
Nouveau Théâtre Musical, 2024
“Si mes vers avaient des ailes” (Victor Hugo), “L’heure exquise” (Paul Verlaine) and “L’énamourée” (Théodore de Banville). These are standouts among the 30 or so songs reissued on this album by French-Canadian recitalist Bruno Laplante. In this first volume of his Livre d’or de la mélodie française, the baritone performs songs by Venezuelan-born French composer Reynaldo Hahn (1874-1947) set to some of French literature’s most iconic texts.
Elegance and precision. These are the two key words that come to mind when listening attentively to this refreshing poetic-musical stroll through texts that have nourished the imagination of several generations of lovers of French literature.
Laplante is accompanied by talented pianists Janine Lachance, Rena Sharon and Marc Durand. The baritone brings out the colourful nuances of these pieces with his warm, enveloping tone, expressive diction and clear phrasing, all the while exuding a highly appreciable technical ease.
Only one snag: the album can get a little monotonous, given the similarity of many of the songs. Nonetheless, this laudable effort to perpetuate the legacy of this cherished performer, especially in these challenging times for this kind of music, deserves encouragement.
Translation: Gianmarco Segato
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
