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Espana is one of the great orchestral showpieces, and has almost contributed to the reputation of Chabrier as a one work composer, a fate that befell Max Bruch. However, there is much more to Chabrier than the skilfully crafted and colourful depiction of Spain. He was one of a group of French composers who admired Wagner, and along with Henri Duparc visited Bayreuth for the festival. His music does not mimic that of Wagner, but his operatic subjects certainly were influenced by the German composer. The splendid Overture to Gwendolin and the Legend of Gwendoline illustrate the Chabrier-Wagner link well with its use of Leitmotifs. Apart from his operas (which suffered from indifferent libretti), his output was slender, and much of his early piano miniatures (he was a remarkable pianist) were orchestrated – the Suite Pastorale being an example. Taken from the ten Pieces Pittoresques, Cesar Franck commented that ‘they link their own time with that of Couperin and Rameau’ The Larghetto for horn and orchestra is an early work, but in effect is slow movement from a concerto that was never completed. La Sulimite is a kind of ‘Song of Solomon’ with the female lover as the protagonist. It is an exotic, erotic work, rising to an almost orgasmic climax. A la musique for soprano and chorus was one of Chabrier's final works. Fellow French composers, especially of later generations admired Chabrier. Ravel said he learned more from him than any other composer, and Poulenc wrote a biography of Chabrier in which he called him ‘the father of us all’.
Michel Plasson and the Toulouse Capitole orchestra are renowned for their expertise in this repertoire. Hendricks and Mentzer who also are specialists in this area of the repertoire join them.
EMI Classics recordings from 1987
Gramophone review from February 1991 ‘Plasson drives the work (La Sulamite) along with intensity and Susanne Mentzer with her vibrant voice and firmly placed high register backed by an attractive toned female choir – conjures up the ecstatic hothouse atmosphere to perfection’
Track listing:
CD 1
Joyeuse marche
1. Joyeuse marche 3:37
2. España 6:12
Suite Pastorale
3. I. Idylle 4:39
4. II. Danse villageoise 4:35
5. III. Sous-bois 4:31
6. IV. Scherzo-Valse 5:04
Le Roi malgré lui
7. Danse slave 5:15
8. Fête polonaise 7:34
9. Prélude pastoral 6:56
10. Bourrée fantasque 6:24
11. Menuet pompeux 6:24
CD 2
Gwendoline
1. Ouverture 10:08
2. Légende de Gwendoline 5:59
3. À la musique 8:55
4. Larghetto (for horn & orchestra) 10:16
5. Habañera 3:55
3 Valses romantiques
6. No.1: Très vite 2:33
7. No.2: Mouvement modéré de Valse 5:25
8. No.3: Animé 6:24
9. La Sulamite 16:38
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse
Michel Plasson
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