BaL 15.02.20 - Poulenc: Gloria

[edashtav]

Yes, I agree,thought that was the outstanding excerpt from ones that I hadn’t heard previously.

Gosh! I reacted, on hearing Georges Prêtre's LP from the Springtime of Poulenc's Gloria: M. Poulenc est voleur comme une pie [apologies Signor Rossini]! The start is Gloria Beethoven just as the Organ Concerto's Papa was JSB. A time there was when Poulenc, often seen through GP's hefty prism, was one of my musical Gods, and I was so pleased when Ted took us into Europe and I could 'own' the whole French school of composers. I own loads of Poulenc recordings, mainly on LPs. These days I find Poulenc's mixture of Louche 'n Lovely, or Sacred and Profane, suspect. I notice the Magpie's thefts... later in the Gloria one idea, and its scoring, was lifted from the great Soviet symphonic tradition. I enjoyed today's BaL, and, noting that I have never got to grips with the Gloria, I shall be following the trend on this thread and ordering a nice 'n correct Layton.

[jonfan]

I’ve never got to grips with the Gloria either Ed even having sung it many times, but I’m quite converted by hearing the Layton and EMT enthusing. I’m not sure why you think Poulenc’s profane and sacred compositions are ‘suspect’. The horrific road accident that killed his friend brought him back to a strong catholic faith which gave us some of the most profound religious music of last century, especially for unaccompanied chorus. His secular part songs of that period are equally innovative and very challenging to sing. I think I read that Poulenc thought it would take 50 years for choirs to successfully master his style, and so it proved to be.

[Maclintick]

I'm with Ardie & Alpie on this one -- a giggly & superficial BAL, EMT at least as guilty of gushing adjectival overload (I counted 4 "shimmerings") as Dr Kate Kennedy, who received a monstering on these boards for her recent "Enigma" contribution, which at least had the merit of a defensible final choice. Not impressed with EMT's recommendation of Jansons -- Luba Organásová & the Dutch chorus prone to consonant-free diction, swimming in a soupy Concertgebouw acoustic. No. Sid Layton's my main man, here -- as so often.

[Wolfram]

I thought it was glib beyond belief today.

No complaints about the winner though. Jansons was the winner last time out.

[gurnemanz]

Odd that EMT did not play anything from the soloist, Catherine Dubosc, in the Hickox version which made her top three (unless I missed it).

Thanks to jonfan above for mentioning Poulenc's secular part songs which I did not know. I've just greatly enjoyed the Ericson/Netherlands Chamber Choir recordings via Spotify.

[Wolfram]

I'm not the world's greatest Poulenc fan; I struggle with a lot of his music - my fault, certainly not his. But I have come to really like the Gloria over the years, so it would have been so nice to have been given a BaL that offered real insights into the piece, such as we would had from someone like Jeremy Summerly, say. So disappointing. Again.

[jonfan]

https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA66798

The above is a comprehensive selection of his secular pieces from the witty to the awesome 'Figure Humaine'.

[visualnickmos]

I did listen (this time) to BaL, only because I'm in a real Poulenc phase at the moment, and have one or two 'Glorias(!)' including Pretre. I was somewhat disappointed with Hickox; yes, it was beautifully sung, superbly played, well-conducted. However, it just sounded like an English choral masterpiece. I was immediately thinking RVW.

I think it does need that Gallic frisson....

[jayne lee wilson]

I'm not the world's greatest Poulenc fan; I struggle with a lot of his music - my fault, certainly not his. But I have come to really like the Gloria over the years, so it would have been so nice to have been given a BaL that offered real insights into the piece, such as we would had from someone like Jeremy Summerly, say. So disappointing. Again.

Do you know the Stabat Mater and the Sept Répons des Ténèbres? Deeper, more contemplative works than the Gloria.... ideal as a "What Next?"....

[Alison]

I did listen (this time) to BaL, only because I'm in a real Poulenc phase at the moment, and have one or two 'Glorias(!)' including Pretre. I was somewhat disappointed with Hickox; yes, it was beautifully sung, superbly played, well-conducted. However, it just sounded like an English choral masterpiece. I was immediately thinking RVW.

I think it does need that Gallic frisson....

[Alison]

There didn’t seem to be much comment about the conductor, the orchestra or the recording quality of the winner.

Maybe I wasn’t concentrating.

[visualnickmos]

There didn’t seem to be much comment about the conductor, the orchestra or the recording quality of the winner.

Maybe I wasn’t concentrating.

Makes at least two of us !

[cloughie]

I did listen (this time) to BaL, only because I'm in a real Poulenc phase at the moment, and have one or two 'Glorias(!)' including Pretre. I was somewhat disappointed with Hickox; yes, it was beautifully sung, superbly played, well-conducted. However, it just sounded like an English choral masterpiece. I was immediately thinking RVW.

I think it does need that Gallic frisson....

...and a pre Orchestre de Paris French orhestra!

[BBMmk2]

Somehow I didn’t agree with the outcome either. I felt more strongly to that historic Pretre. I’m sure I have this with Previn. Maybe I’m wrong.

[Darloboy]

Summerly (whose pompous arrogance I can’t stand) did it last time out back in 2008 so unlikely they would have given it to him again. And his first choice was the same. Incidentally the Honegger 3 on the Jansons CD was Jonathan Swain’s first choice for that work back in 2010.