Episode 478. Martial Singher: Un recueil de mélodies
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Today is the first in a series of episodes honoring our Gallic friends, who this month also celebrate their independence day, call it what you will, Bastille Day or Le Quatorze Juillet. Our featured singer is French baritone Martial Singher (1904-1990). His career extended from opera to concert to recital and back again, but the main focus on this episode is on the wide range of French song that he performed in recital. I present in its entirety an ultra-rare 1950 recording entitled A Treasury of French Songs, which samples everything from parlor songs by Reynaldo Hahn, Charles Gounod, and Herman Bemberg; to deliciously treacly religious songs from Henri Büsser and Jean-Baptiste Faure (yes, “The Palms” in its original French!); to masterpieces of mélodie by Fauré, Duparc, and Chabrier. The episode is anchored by performances of Ravel and Poulenc songs recorded by Singher in 1934 and 1975, including Poulenc’s fervent “Priez pour paix,” recorded by Singher at the age of 70.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
All tracks feature Martial Singher, baritone.
Maurice Ravel, Paul Morand: Chanson épique (Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, M.84/2). Orchestra conducted by Piero Coppola [1934]
Francis Poulenc, Anonymous text: La belle jeunesse (Chansons gaillardes, FP 42/7). Martial Singher, Alden Gilchrist [1975]
A Treasury of French Songs. with pianists John La Montaine, Paul Ulanowsky [1950].
Jules Massenet, Louis Gallet: Élégie, Op. 10/5. John La Montaine, Marcel Hubert
Charles Gounod, Victor Hugo: Sérénade. John La Montaine, Ross Norwood
Herman Bemberg, Armand Ocampo: Chant Hindou. John La Montaine, Marcel Hubert
Jean-Baptiste Faure, Jules Bertrand: Les Rameaux. John La Montaine, Marcel Hubert
Gabriel Fauré: Ave Maria. John La Montaine, Marcel Hubert, Ross Norwood
Henri Büsser: Notre Pêre qui êtes aux cieux. John La Montaine, Ross Norwood
André Caplet, Victor Hugo: Viens, une flûte invisible. John La Montaine, Ross Norwood
Charles-Gaston Levadé, Jules Lafforgue: Les vieilles de chez nous. John La Montaine, Marcel Hubert
Jean-Paul-Égide Martini, Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian: Plaisir d’amour. Paul Ulanowsky
Reynaldo Hahn, Victor Hugo: Si mes vers avaient des ailes. Paul Ulanowsky
Reynaldo Hahn, André Theuriet: Paysage. Paul Ulanowsky
Gabriel Fauré, Romain Bussine: Après un rêve, Op. 7/1. Paul Ulanowsky
Gabriel Fauré, Leconte de Lisle: Nell, Op. 18/1. Paul Ulanowsky
Henri Duparc, Charles Baudelaire: L’invitation au voyage. Paul Ulanowsky
Jules Massenet, Armand Silvestre: Pensée d’automne. Paul Ulanowsky
Emmanuel Chabrier, Edmond Rostand: Ballade des gros dindons. Paul Ulanowsky
Emmanuel Chabrier, Rosemonde Gérard [née Louise-Rose Gérard]: Villanelle des petits canards. Paul Ulanowsky
Maurice Ravel, Paul Morand: Chanson à boire (Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, M.84/3). Orchestra conducted by Piero Coppola [1934]
Francis Poulenc, Charles d’Orléans: Priez pour paix, FP 95. Martial Singher, Alden Gilchrist [1975]