Jean-Philippe Rameau — Georg Anton Benda PYGMALION
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Jean-Philippe Rameau Georg Anton Benda PYGMALION PHILIPPE GAGNÉ NORMAN D. PATZKE HEYSE – DE WILDE – WEYNANTS APOTHEOSIS ORCHESTRA KORNEEL BERNOLET Programme Soloists English text German text French text Sung texts Rameau Spoken texts Benda Imprint Jean-Philippe Rameau — Georg Anton Benda PYGMALION Two Visions of the Myth of Pygmalion and Galatea Zwei Visionen des Mythus von Pygmalion und Galatea Deux visions du mythe de Pygmalion et Galathée Jean-Philippe RAMEAU (1683–1764) Pigmalion Acte de ballet (1748) 1 Ouverture 4:34 2 Pigmalion: Fatal amour 3:23 3 Céphise & Pigmalion: Pigmalion, est-il possible 4:10 4 Pigmalion & La Statue: D’où naissent ces accords 5:01 5 Amour: Du pouvoir de l’Amour / Jeux et Ris qui suivez mes traces 3:26 6 Les Grâces 2:47 7 Sarabande et Tambourin: Cédons à notre impatience / Le peuple dans ces lieux s’avance 3:24 8 Air gay pour l’entrée du peuple 1:50 9 Pigmalion & Chœur: L’Amour triomphe 2:41 10 Pantomime niaise / Pantomime très vive 3:31 11 Pigmalion: Règne, Amour 5:13 12 Air gracieux / Contredanse en rondeau 2:19 Georg Anton BENDA (1722–1795) 13 Pygmalion Monodrama (1779) 26:22 ^menu SOLOISTS Pigmalion Philippe Gagné www.gagnephilippe.com Pygmalion Norman D. Patzke www.derbariton.com La Statue & Galathee Morgane Heyse www.morganeheyse.com 4 Céphise Lieselot De Wilde www.lieselotdewilde.net Amour Caroline Weynants www.operamusica.com/artist/caroline-weynants CHOIR Soprano Caroline Weynants, Morgane Heyse, Mieke Dhondt Alto Kerlijne Van Nevel, Bart Uvyn Tenor Govaart Haché, Sean Clayton Bass Wouter Vande Ginste, Joris Stroobants 5 KORNEEL BERNOLET made his debut at age 19 as a continuo player for Sigiswald Kuijken, followed by a Young Musi- cian of the Year award from the Belgian Music Press Association in 2014. Since then he performs worldwide as a harp- sichord and fortepiano recital soloist. As a conductor he leads his own period-instrument orchestra, Apotheosis, and acts as assistant conductor to Christophe Rousset (Les Talens Lyriques) and Jos van Immerseel (Anima Eterna Bruges). Korneel has recently gained international acclaim for his highly praised guest-conductorship with Anima Eterna and Collegium Vocale Ghent, performing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Chorfantasie in Bruges and Frankfurt. In 2016 he has been appointed as Professor of Harpsichord at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp, where he teaches on the famous Dulcken 1747 harpsichord at Museum Vleeshuis. Korneel is a PhD researcher at Antwerp University, an instructor and conductor at the International Opera Academy Ghent, and a passionate recording engineer. He has recorded several chamber music CDs with Apotheosis for Et’cetera Records. KORNEEL BERNOLET gab sein Debüt im Alter von 19 Jahren als Continuospieler bei Sigiswald Kuijken. Im Jahr 2014 wurde er von der Vereinigung der belgischen Musikpresse zum »Jungen Musiker des Jahres« gewählt. Seitdem kon- zertiert er als Solist auf dem Cembalo und Fortepiano. Als Dirigent leitet er sein eigenes Orchester für historische In- strumente, Apotheosis, und ist Assistent von Christophe Rousset (Les Talens Lyriques) und Jos van Immerseel (Anima Eterna Bruges). Korneel hat in jüngster Zeit internationale Anerkennung für sein hochgelobtes Gastdirigat bei Anima Eterna und Collegium Vocale Gent mit der Aufführung von Beethovens 9. Symphonie und der Chorfantasie in Brügge und Frankfurt erhalten. Seit 2016 ist Korneel Bernolet Professor für Cembalo am Königlichen Konservatorium von Antwerpen, wo er im Museum Vleeshuis am berühmten Dulcken-Cembalo von 1747 unterrichtet. Korneel ist Dok- torand an der Universität Antwerpen, Dozent und Dirigent an der Internationalen Opernakademie Gent und leiden- schaftlicher Toningenieur. Er hat mehrere Kammermusik-CDs mit Apotheosis für Et’cetera Records aufgenommen. KORNEEL BERNOLET a fait ses débuts à l’âge de 19 ans comme continuiste de Sigiswald Kuijken et a été désigné « Jeune musicien de l’année » en 2014 par l’Association de la presse musicale belge. Depuis lors, il se produit en récital de clavecin et de pianoforte sur la scène internationale. Comme chef d’orchestre, il mène son Apotheosis Orchestra et travaille comme assistant de Christophe Rousset (Les Talens Lyriques) et Jos van Immerseel (Anima Eterna Bruges). Il s’est récemment gagné une réputation internationale pour sa prestation très appréciée à la tête d’Anima Eterna et du Collegium Vocale Ghent dans la 9e Symphonie et la Fantaisie chorale de Beethoven à Bruges et à Francfort. En 2016, il a été engagé comme professeur de clavecin au Conservatoire royal d’Anvers, où il enseigne sur le célèbre clavecin Dulcken de 1747 au Musée Vleeshuis. Il est chercheur PhD à l’Université d’Anvers, professeur et chef d’orchestre à l’International Opera Academy de Gand et ingénieur du son passionné. Il a enregistré plusieurs disques de musique de chambre avec Apotheosis pour Et’cetera Records. 6 www.korneel.bernolet.com – www.apotheosis.be 7 APOTHEOSIS ORCHESTRA Direction Double Bass Korneel Bernolet Elise Christiaens Violin I Flute Annelies Decock (concert master) Jan Van den Borre Marrie Mooij, Ortwin Lowyck, Sien Huybrechts Maia Silberstein, Marianne Herssens Oboe Violin II Christopher Palameta Madoka Nakamaru, Isabelle Verachtert, Minori Saji Nooi Strynckx, Valerio Latartara Bassoon Viola I Lisa Goldberg Nadine Henrichs, Marc Claes, Jorlen Vega Marine Falque-Vert Viola II Horn Manuela Bucher, Maartje Geris, Johan Vanneste° Peter Van Boxelaere* Rozanne Descheemaecker° Cello Percussion Ronan Kernoa (basso continuo) Jan Huylebroeck* Emily Robinson Michel Boulanger Harpsichord Tine Van Parys Philippe Riga* Catalina Vicens° * Rameau Korneel Bernolet* ° Benda 8 ^menu Pygmalion — Rameau & Benda Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764) is one of the cen- tral fi gures in European music history, based chiefl y on Of all the myths in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Pyg- his achievements as an opera composer in Paris. The malion has always particularly resonated with artists – other, Georg Anton Benda (1722–95), is more of an with sculptors, painters, writers and composers alike. obscure fi gure, whose works have, until recently, re- The synopsis is simple. Ovid tells how the Cypriot king ceived comparatively less attention. However, togeth- and sculptor Pygmalion, unable to fi nd a partner up to er, the two settings make for a fascinating dialogue. his standards, had eschewed women in favour of de- Making use of the latest musical-dramatic forms avail- voting himself to his art. After producing a statue he able to their respective composers and experimenting regarded as being so perfect that he falls in love with with mixed media, each brings fresh insights to Ovid’s it, Pygmalion prays to Aphrodite that it might become tale. real. On her feast day, the goddess grants Pygmalion his wish, and the statue becomes human. Pygmalion Rameau’s acte de ballet received its premiere on is overjoyed and the couple go on to marry and have the 27th of August 1748 at the Paris Opera. The Mercure a child, Paphos. de France reported that Rameau composed the music in under a week, as part of an attempt to raise funds But while the story appears to have a happy end- for the Académie royale de Musique, whose manage- ing, the moral imperatives are far from clear. Ovid ment had incurred signifi cant debts. The so-called acte captures the split personality of the artist and the fi ne de ballet was one of eighteenth-century French opera’s line between perfectionism and narcissism. ‘Pygmal- most compact forms, similar in duration to a single en- ionism’ is now, in fact, a term employed by clinical trée in a full opéra-ballet and was therefore usually rela- psychologists, used to describe both those who fi nd tively straightforward in terms of plot. Ballot de Sau- themselves unnaturally attracted to statues and inani- vot’s libretto clearly drew heavily on Antoine Houdar mate representations of the human form, and those de La Motte’s ‘La sculpture’ in Le triomphe des arts (in who become unhealthily enamoured with their own fact copying some thirty lines verbatim), an opera-bal- handiwork. let with music by Michel de la Barre in 1700. Resettings of libretti in this manner was not common practice in This recording presents – coupled for the fi rst French theatres at the time, and Sauvot was criticised time – two dramatic musical settings of the myth by for having the audacity of attempting to ‘correct’ La two truly unique eighteenth-century composers. Al- Motte. However, Pigmalion was to be one of Rameau’s though their careers overlapped chronologically, they most enduring works, with over 200 performances each represent somewhat different musical milieus. staged between the Opera and court by 1781. 9 Both La Motte’s and Sauvot’s libretti more or Georg Anton (Jiří Antonín) Benda was born less followed Ovid faithfully. Rameau’s opening scene almost forty years after Rameau. He was the son of introduces Pygmalion, sung by a haute-contre, in his Johann Georg Benda, a string player in the orchestra workshop. He sings of how he has become besotted of Crown Prince Friedrich of Prussia and a capable with his most recent creation before the second scene composer in his own right. After completing his stud- introduces Céphise, who unsuccessfully attempts to ies in Kosmonosy and at the Jesuit college in Jičín, seduce Pygmalion. In the third, Pygmalion calls upon Georg Anton moved with his family from Bohemia Venus to assist him. Unseen to Pygmalion, L’Amour to Prussia, where he also joined the court orchestra as fl ies over the stage and gives life to the statue. Pyg- a violinist. In 1750, he became Kapellmeister to Duke malion and the statue become acquainted, almost im- Friedrich III of Saxe-Gotha. mediately telling each other of their love, while in the fourth scene, the Graces appear and teach the statue Prior to Benda’s arrival at Gotha, opera had not to move via eight different dances.