This is a first rate assemblage of some
of the best and most noteworthy examples
of French 20th Century choral
works, performed in chronological order.
The exception is Chausson’s little-known
‘Ballata’ dating from the 1890s; an
attractive piece, worth hearing but
slightly out of place here. My main
sorrow with this disc is that it plays
for under an hour in duration. I would
have liked another work thrown in. Perhaps
some Poulenc would have been appropriate.
However let us take what we have.
The Debussy is well
known and deservedly so being his only
choral composition. It was published
in 1908 and although unaccompanied is
within the ability range of amateur
choirs. The SWR Vocal Ensemble sing
all three elegantly. My only quibble
is the rather plummy contralto soloist
chosen for the second song ‘Quant j’ai
ouy le tambourin’. Debussy’s choice
of contralto soloist is interesting.
A lighter soloist is more often used
by British choirs to achieve this sound
and to act as a contrast to the altos.
The Ravel, which dates
from the early years of the First World
War, is done with panache and style
although the very tricky Roundelay (movement
3) needs even more articulation of text,
to make its comic effect. The inspiration
for these pieces is to be found in the
High Renaissance madrigals of Jannequin
and Passereau.
Then comes the Messiaen,
composed in 1948. How original it must
at first have appeared as indeed it
still does to the first time listener.
Oddly enough the booklet, which has
all the other texts, does not have these
for ‘Cinq rechants’. This is a very
disappointing decision as the texts,
although almost nonsense, are essential
in creating a rounded view and full
enjoyment of these extraordinary pieces.
It is the Messiaen and Jolivet’s ‘Epithalame’
(Wedding Songs) written in 1953, which
mark this choir out as a virtuoso ensemble.
These are landmarks of the choral repertoire
and were composed for ‘La Chorale madrigal’
a group of twelve soloists who in the
1940s and 1950s, were without peer in
Europe. Both works, but especially Jolivet’’s
‘Symphony’, can only be performed by
top-flight singers. Each composer takes
a unique approach. Messiaen uses a text
full of onomatopoeic syllables and his
own invented language based on Sanskrit
and Quecha. The pieces are built on
vibrant ‘Refrains’, interspersed with
more restrained sections (the ‘Couplets’).
These surrealist songs are for twelve
unaccompanied voices using Messiaen’s
typical fluid rhythms and rich modal
harmony. Most of the passion and excitement
of this music is brought out by Huber’s
singers but I would have liked more
attack in the first movement and a faster
more exciting tempo in the third movement.
André Jolivet’s
‘Symphony for twelve voices’ also uses
a text of his own devising; in this
case long and complex and especially
designed for antiphonal work between
upper and lower voices. To explain it
further the generally good booklet notes
by Dorothea Bossert comment that Jolivet
wanted to "achieve an orchestral
effect by taking the French language
as his starting point, a language in
which he sees a lack of musical accentuation
which the text tries to offset by forming
words that imitate sounds of a primarily
dynamic effect." If that seems
convoluted enough the notes continue:
"His attempt to bring out the typical
linear quality of the French language
as a musical quality makes him turn
to sophisticated ligatures and glissandos,
and virtuoso sixteenth passages looping
up and down." I won’t go on. Is
this quote helpful? My advice is, listen
to the extract and enjoy a section of
this wonderful and clever music for
yourself.
The recording and acoustic
help to bring out all of the good things
in this recital. I can say, without
too much hesitation, that this CD is
a good place to start a collection if
you do not have any of this repertoire.
However at only fifty minutes the disc
represents a somewhat expensive luxury.
Gary Higginson
SWR Vokalensemble of Stuttgart/Rupert Huber 
