# Mélodie recommendations



## Nonchalant (Jan 13, 2018)

I’ve been recently getting into the Mélodie genre because of its resemblance to the air de cour. So far I have a few albums downloaded: two by Sandrine Piau, and one by Veronique Gens. Are there any other singers who take to these songs so fluently? I especially appreciate Piau for her restraint and clarity— beautiful stuff.


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## jenspen (Apr 25, 2015)

Gerard Souzay was as famous for his singing of mélodies as Fischer-Dieskau was for Lieder, but I haven't kept up with the genre. Here's a taste:


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## Marinera (May 13, 2016)

I second Souzay, and also would like to add Veronique Dietschy and Regine Crespin


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## Nonchalant (Jan 13, 2018)

Thanks! That gives me a good starting point since I know very little about the genre.


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## Marinera (May 13, 2016)

Also, there are Marie-Nicole Lemieux - Heure Exquise, Philippe Jaroussky - Opium, and Susan Graham recorded at least one album with melodies.. and if you haven't heard Canteloube's Chants' d'Auvergne -they're worth checking too. V.Gens did them and many others. I like Dawn Upshaw's rendition. Netania Davrath is considered the top choice for these songs.


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

The one issue I have with many singers of French mélodies is that they tend to sing too operatically, and their voices can become screechy, shrill, abrasive, and overwrought (at least in the more animated, emotional or highly pitched songs). In my view, French mélodies require a more natural approach & style of singing--more cantor like, if you will (& more Gallic sounding). (Indeed, Faure insisted on a more cantor like approach from the male singer in his Requiem). Not surprisingly, singers with considerable experience singing Baroque music have often excelled in this repertory, such as Ameling, Dietschy, Cuénod, Piau, Baker, Auger, Leblanc, etc.. And, of course, it helps when singers are native born speakers, as the sound of the French language is so integral to this music. (Though it's not absolutely necessary.)

If you're open to doing a good deal of sampling--on You Tube, or Spotify or wherever--I'd suggest checking out the following singers (some of whom have already been mentioned): I've also taken the liberty of including French orchestral & chamber songs as well (by Chausson, Duparc, Ravel, Delage, Faure), since it's such wonderful music, & in addition, I've placed a * by recordings that are special favorites of mine:

Female singers:

1. Véronique Dietschy (French)--Debussy*, Faure*, Duparc*, Milhaud*--with pianists Emmanuel Stroesser & Philippe Cassard & Quatour Parisii. Unfortunately, her non-Debussy recordings can be hard to find now, as they're out of print (except to download). But you might try Amazon France (or listen on You Tube).

https://www.amazon.com/Debussy-Melo...1515868644&sr=1-3&keywords=veronique+dietschy

https://www.amazon.com/Debussy-Vari...3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=debussy+edition (The contents of her four Debussy discs are included in this box set.)

2. Maggie Teyte (English)--historical recordings*:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...te+melodies&rh=n:5174,k:maggie+teyte+melodies

3. Régine Crespin (French)--Berlioz*, Ravel*, Satie, Debussy*, Poulenc*, Duparc*: here Crespin sings Duparc's "Extase", a favorite song of mine:






4. Elly Ameling (Dutch)--Faure*, Debussy*, Poulenc*, Satie. (with pianist Dalton Baldwin): Note that Ameling's Faure, Debussy, & Poulenc melodies are part of box set surveys that include other singers (sometimes of varying quality).
5. Arleen Auger (American)--Ravel Shéhérazade* (with Ernst Bour), Canteloube "Chants d'Auvergne":

https://www.amazon.com/Ernest-Bour-...1515869693&sr=1-6&keywords=arleen+auger+ravel (This early Auger recording is unfortunately OOP, but it's worth tracking down, as I prefer it to her later Virgin recording of Shéhérazade--partly due to Bour's conducting, & Auger's gorgeous youthful voice.)

https://www.amazon.com/Canteloube-C...1515869693&sr=1-7&keywords=arleen+auger+ravel

6. Victoria de los Angeles (Spanish): Chausson*, Debussy*, Ravel*, Duparc--classic recordings, especially of the Chausson "Poéme de l'amour et de la mer"*--a favorite of mine:

https://www.amazon.com/CHAUSSON-POE...1-2&keywords=victoria+de+los+angeles+chausson

https://www.amazon.com/Faure-Requie...=1-2&keywords=victoria+de+los+angeles+debussy

https://www.amazon.com/Melodies-Rav...=1-3&keywords=victoria+de+los+angeles+debussy

7. Michele Command(French)--Debussy*, Koechlin, Messiaen*.
8. Sandrine Piau(French): Debussy*, Chausson*, Faure, Saint-Saens*: Since you already seem to know her recordings, here's a lesser known Piau CD on Alpha that is worth hearing: it's entitled "Une Flute Invisible", & is comprised of various French songs for flute & voice, which are divided between tenor and soprano, and includes one duet by Saint-Saens (plus some solo piano music by Debussy):

https://www.amazon.com/Une-flûte-in...TF8&qid=1515868441&sr=1-1&keywords=piau+alpha

9. Irma Kolassi (Greek): Faure*, etc.:

https://www.amazon.com/Irma-Kolassi...8&qid=1515868474&sr=1-1&keywords=irma+kolassi

10. Claudette Leblanc (French Canadian)--Caplet*, Koechlin* (with pianist Boaz Sharon), and Debussy (with pianist Valerie Tryon):

https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Andre-...=1515868510&sr=1-2&keywords=claudette+leblanc

11. Anne Sofie von Otter(Swedish)-- French chamber songs* (Ravel's "Trois Poémes de Stéphane Mallarmé"*, Faure's "La bonne chanson" cycle*, Delage's "Quatre Poémes Hindous"*, Chausson's "Chanson Perpetuelle", etc.), Berlioz:

https://www.amazon.com/Anne-Sofie-v...1&sr=1-2&keywords=anne+sofie+von+otter+french (For a long time, Janet Baker & the Melos Ensemble were my benchmark recording for these beautiful chamber songs, but Anne Sofie von Otter's singing is so fine on this DG album that I may even prefer her to Baker (which is saying something), & she has much better, more up to date 'audiophile' sound engineering too, which counts for a lot in this music.)

12. Dame Janet Baker(English)--Berlioz: "Les Nuits d'été" song cycle* (with Barbirolli), Ravel: Shéhérazade* (with Barbirolli)--"La flute enchantée" is a favorite song of mine*, Duparc* (orchestral versions of his songs, with Barbirolli), Faure La Chanson d'Eve (late Baker, on Hyperion), and French chamber songs, with the Melos Ensemble*:

https://www.amazon.com/Ravel-Sheher...70096&sr=1-1&keywords=baker+duparc+barbirolli

https://www.amazon.com/Janet-Baker-...15870379&sr=1-1&keywords=baker+melos+ensemble (This disc has been more recently reissued on the Eloquence label.)

13. Suzie Leblanc(French Canadian)--Messiaen, traditional Acadian melodies (I wish Leblanc would record some Debussy, Ravel, etc., she's a wonderful singer.) 
14. Susan Graham (American)--"La Belle Epoque: The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn"*, with pianist Roger Vignoles (this is one of my favorite albums of French melodies, & the best I've heard from Graham):

https://www.amazon.com/Belle-Epoque...=1515868292&sr=1-1&keywords=susan+graham+hahn

15. Sarah Walker(English)--Faure "La Bonne Chanson" song cycle (the chamber version, with the Nash Ensemble*); Duparc--especially for Walker's beautiful performance of Duparc's song "Extase"*:

https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Henri-...515869800&sr=1-1&keywords=sarah+walker+duparc

16. Marjanne Kweksilber(Dutch)--Satie Melodies*, with Reinbert de Leeuw. (He's also recently done Socrates with Barbara Hannigan.)

https://www.amazon.com/Piano-Music-...qid=1515897554&sr=1-3&keywords=de+leeuw+satie

17. Janina Baechle(German)--Hahn "Chansons Grises"*, Milhaud, Boulanger (with pianist Charles Spencer):

https://www.amazon.com/Janina-Baech...id=1515872393&sr=8-4&keywords=hahn+songs+sacd

18. Frederica von Stade(American)--Faure* (with pianist Jean-Philippe Collard):

https://www.amazon.com/Melodies-Pel...513&sr=1-3&keywords=frederica+von+stade+faure

Suzanne Danco, Veronique Gens (with pianist Roger Vignoles), Colette Alliot-Lugaz, Catherine Dubosc, Christine Schafer (with Irwin Gage), Dawn Upshaw, & Felicity Lott (Chausson, Duparc) are notable in this repertory too.

Of late, sopranos Sabine Devieilhe and Marianne Crebassa have been receiving favorable reviews for their recordings of the French repertory, but I've yet to hear their CDs.

Male singers (I must admit that I tend to prefer French mélodies sung by women, but the following male singers are excellent):

1. Gérard Souzay(French)--Debussy*, Ravel*, Poulenc*, Duparc*, Chausson*, etc.:

https://www.amazon.com/Debussy-Géra...s-bar-strip-0&keywords=gerard+souzay+melodies

2. Stéphane Degout(French)--the following album is exceptional:

https://www.amazon.com/Mélodies-Fra...3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=degout+melodies

3. Bernard Kruysen(French)--his recordings with pianist Noel Lee.

4. François Le Roux(French)--his Debussy with Noel Lee, and Chausson* with Dutoit in Montreal:

https://www.amazon.com/François-Rou...d=1515869104&sr=8-2&keywords=le+roux+noel+lee

https://www.amazon.com/Chausson-Sym...p3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=le+roux+dutoit

5. Hugues Cuénod(Swiss)--anything*.






6. Pierre Bernac(French)--Poulenc, Gounod (historical):






7. José Van Dam (Belgian)--Ravel
8. Jan van der Crabben (Belgian)--Faure, Debussy* (with pianist Inga Spinette):

https://www.amazon.com/Debussy-Musi...lbums-bar-strip-0&keywords=jan+van+de+Crabben


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## Marinera (May 13, 2016)

^
Great post :tiphat:............


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## Nonchalant (Jan 13, 2018)

Thanks! That should keep my busy listening for a while! 

From what I have heard so far, you are absolutely right about these songs being suited to a less operatic style. Suzie LeBlanc should record Ravel or Debussy; recordings of Moulinié are some of my favorite.

I just ordered the LeBlanc, Dietschy, and the Degout albums based on hearing some samples and I’ll go from there.


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

My pleasure. Yes, my list wasn't meant to be tackled quickly, but over time.


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