Pierre de la Roche

[mathias broucek]

Have we ever tackled the identity of the mystery conductor of Vanguard's Songs of the Auvergne recordings?

Other web searches seem to have ruled-out Pierre Monteux and I can't imagine him in his late 80s learning all the songs.

Any other knowledge (ideally) or theories. The (Viennese?) orchestral musicians must have known....

[Alf-Prufrock]

I had no idea that Pierre de la Roche was a pseudonym, though the unnamed orchestra had puzzled me. What I remember about the original Vanguard LPs is that they were labelled 'Songs of the Auvergine' on the spine. More than thirty years later I still imagine aubergines sizzling in the oven.

[french frank]

Other web searches seem to have ruled-out Pierre Monteux

But 'De la Roche' presumably suggesting Peter/Pierre/Pietro/Pyotr Someone?

[cloughie]

But 'De la Roche' presumably suggesting Peter/Pierre/Pietro/Pyotr Someone?

But not Peter Mountain!

http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Scraping_a_Living.html?id=g53ou9tRJjIC&redir_esc=y

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Crossword enthusiasts and followers of the Alphabetical Associations Thread will have no problem with this: de la Roche ("of the rock") is a reference to "Rock and Roll", so it must be "Peter Roll" or Pierre Boulez. Simples!


(Strictly speaking, of course, "Pierre Boulez" translates into "Rolling Stone", but they were far too young at the time to merit serious consideration. )

[Barbirollians]

I love the idea it was Monteux - certainly it is sympathetic , scrupulously observed conducting especially of Bailero itself.

[gradus]

I hadn't realised that M./Herr Havergesse had recorded so often, my money's on Monteux.

[richardfinegold]

Monteux could have learned the songs at a younger age and and just never have ‘officially’ recorded them

[Pulcinella]

The CDs give recording dates (US style) as 3/27/63 and 3/16/66, with the venue being Baumgartner Hall, Vienna.

Are there no biographies of Monteux that would say whereabouts he was at those tines, or indeed nothing in the Hall's archives to say who was there for the recordings?

[french frank]

The CDs give recording dates (US style) as 3/27/63 and 3/16/66, with the venue being Baumgartner Hall, Vienna.

Are there no biographies of Monteux that would say whereabouts he was at those tines, or indeed nothing in the Hall's archives to say who was there for the recordings?

He died in July 1964.

[Pulcinella]

He died in July 1964.

Should have checked; all are attributed to Pierre de la Roche, so not Monteux then.
I'm actually surprised that each set apparently only took a day to record. If true that's certainly to the great credit of the (scratch?) Viennese orchestra.

[HighlandDougie]

The CDs give recording dates (US style) as 3/27/63 and 3/16/66, with the venue being Baumgartner Hall, Vienna.

Are there no biographies of Monteux that would say whereabouts he was at those tines, or indeed nothing in the Hall's archives to say who was there for the recordings?

The first LP was issued in 1961 by Vanguard (USA) and Philips (UK etc) according to Discogs. The label of the original Philips LP says copyright 1961 - see https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256457083305

As Monteux recorded Beethoven's 1st on 20-24 Apr 1960 with the VPO at the Sofiensaal, it is quite possible that he was, "Pierre de la Roche". Presumably, "de la Roche", is a pointer to, "Monteux"? I suspect that we'll never know.

[Pulcinella]

The Producer of the CDs is credited as the splendidly named Seymour Solomon.
Unless secrecy/anonymity needed to be preserved, it's a shame that when the transfers were made more didn't come to light about these recordings.

Although I have a different incarnation than this (with a photo of Davrath as the front), the back is the same, and it's there that it gives those dates I mentioned.
Altogether very odd.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Canteloube-Songs-Auvergne-Joseph/dp/B0000254FT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QRXCOWUIAJ5Q&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wkTsPJMdJ9WpWO3LOTEfQ8S4W7xnZbEtABGDAg5JHfAwR7NbIdYMyV_DreNyyV10R_fKuYFT6uBA3OrP8gfJr6se3EGvRHzaNioZYymuhb8ruj-qOYjWg-_xq79On9-noI-Ra8WyoJnN4ILi0qVx9I79luI4ZjvWjQjyT_qSJDLUqwXR5XGgXKV-ebzy4SLBHIkN-7Ye96niz0u70DPmp4I-Plr2KyLrivru-5XSopQ.GlEUYuGwDABQmTjLmThkGWOhi5yC_UX1m3G9fqlF4UQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=netania+davrath+auvergne&qid=1724502088&sprefix=netania+davrath+auvergne%2Caps%2C50&sr=8-1

[french frank]

As Monteux recorded Beethoven's 1st on 20-24 Apr 1960 with the VPO at the Sofiensaal, it is quite possible that he was, "Pierre de la Roche". Presumably, "de la Roche", is a pointer to, "Monteux"?

Or just a repetition of Pierre = roche? Other famous Peters, Pierres, Pedros, Pietros, Pyotrs &c? I couldn't immediately find one (what one knows of Boulez would surely tend to rule him out anyway). Obviously someone very well known or there would have been no need for the pseudonym except to match the anonymity as the 'pick-up' orchestra. Monteux is said to have been 'renowned' for his French repertoire.