The nearest Maurice Ravel got in five attempts to winning the
musical Prix de Rome was in 1901, when his String Quartet could
only manage third behind André Caplet's cantata Myrrha.
This much-told anecdote usually omits to mention the Second
Prize winner, who was French composer Gabriel Dupont - no relation
to Debussy's lover, Gabrielle Dupont. Dupont's output is small,
his life cut short by illness, yet his lack of recognition is
a cause for dismay.
This lengthy recital by Canadian pianist Stéphane Lemelin is
the latest in Montreal-based ATMA Classique's 'Musique Française
- Découvertes ('Discoveries') 1890-1939', a series which has
already attempted to restore other names almost lost to the
vagaries of history: Théodore Dubois, Gustave Samazeuilh (review),
Guy Ropartz, Georges Migot and Manuel Rosenthal. Every disc
features Lemelin, the brains of the project, either as soloist
or as part of the Trio Hochelaga.
Dupont wrote Les Heures Dolentes ('The Mournful Hours')
whilst suffering and then recuperating from tuberculosis. The
suggestive subtitles of the fourteen movements reflect a physical
and mental journey through convalescence at a spa, from the
peacefulness of 'Evening Falls inside the Bedroom', the early
optimism of 'Sunshine in the Garden' and 'A Lady Friend Has
Come with Some Flowers', the ambiguities of 'The Doctor', the
eerie resignation of 'Death Lurks' and the sinister sonorities
and rhythms of 'Sleepless Night - Hallucinations'. Fortunately
Dupont survives and the work finishes with relief and perhaps
a little hope in 'Calm'. Basically late-Romantic fragranced
with Impressionistic petals, recalling at times Fauré, Debussy
and Granados, the music is programmatic, but poetic, not clichéd;
atmospheric from beginning to end, and overall memorably colourful
and rather beautiful, sometimes almost orchestral in effect.
La Maison dans les Dunes ('The House on the Dunes') is
even better. Though again composed by Dupont whilst at a seaside
refuge for TB sufferers, he was, temporarily at least, in much
better health. The vividness of this suite reflects that. The
House in question looks out to sea - and what can be seen there
in the course of a day, from the movements of the waves to sailboats,
all manner of weather and the changing sky, is what the ten
movements seek to evoke. The music, steeped in beautiful chromatic
harmony, is by turn playful, sun-bathed, agitated, poignant,
but always gloriously lyrical. Given especially the watery theme,
Debussy not surprisingly looms large, Ravel to a lesser degree,
but Dupont's sound is original and in some ways has greater
immediacy and wider appeal. The House on the Dunes is
transcendent music perfect for gazing out to sea to on warm
summer days under great blue skies; failing that: anytime, anywhere.
The prolific Bulgarian pianist Emile Naoumoff recorded both
these works in the mid 2000s for French label Saphir (LVC1097),
who subtitled their double-disc release 'Complete Works for
Solo Piano' - Oxford Music Online notes at least some further
Feuillets d'Album. There are some notable deviations
in timings between Naoumoff and Lemelin, with the latter's accounts
generally on the faster side. On Timpani, meanwhile, French
pianist François Kerdoncouff has recorded La Maison dans
les Dunes (1C1072) - that disc has the advantage of including
Dupont's substantial Poème for piano quintet. On the
same label, incidentally, can be found Dupont's 'Complete Songs'
(Timpani 1C1089).
Back on ATMA, Lemelin's performance in these two demanding works
is very impressive. He brings out the pathos, colour, humour
and artistry in Dupont's writing with intelligence, passion
and eloquence. Sound quality is very good. The CD booklet is
a paragon of clarity, and can be downloaded/previewed for free
here.
The only quibble, really, is that this is officially a double-disc
set with a price-tag that reflects that, even though it is only
fifteen minutes longer than a single.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at reviews.gramma.co.uk
Stéphane Lemelin (piano) 
