Berlioz: The Damnation of Faust

by Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

Overview

Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust ("The Damnation of Faust") is a famously unclassifiable work; Berlioz gave up on naming a genre and coined a new term for it, légende dramatique. It was originally staged unsatisfactorily as an opera, and it still is presented that way. In this live 2023 performance from the Royal Festival Hall at London's Southbank Centre, the London Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by Edward Gardner, who is best known as an opera conductor. He captures the score in full color. Berlioz's realization of Goethe's Faust contains a dizzying variety of music, from operatic scenes to village dances, religious musical pronouncements, a full-blown academic fugue, and more. In Gardner's hands, it all flows naturally and even entertainingly. Gardner's singers, led by John Irvin as Faust (remarkably good considering his last-minute sub status), are strong but quite restrained, putting the emphasis on the orchestra, the various choirs, and the way they develop in an inevitable arc toward the end in this greatest of all stories. Gardner's control over the orchestra, which is large and has a great deal to do, is splendid, and there is a strong X-factor resulting from live performance. The sound from the LPO's in-house label is quite clear in this immensely appealing Berlioz recording. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	02/02/2024
Label:	London Philharmonic Orchestra
UPC:	5060096760405
Rank:	42300

Tracks

Disc 1

1. The Damnation of Faust~Part One. Scene I: Le vieil hiver
2. The Damnation of Faust~Part One. Scene II/III: Ronde de paysans. Les bergers laissent... Mais d'un éclat guerrier
3. The Damnation of Faust~Part One. Scene III. Marche hongroise (Hungarian March)
4. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene IV: Sans regrets j'ai quitté les riantes campagnes
5. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene IV: Chant de la Fête de Pâques. Christ vient de ressusciter!
6. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene IV: Hélas! doux chants du ciel
7. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene V: Ô pure émotion!
8. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VI: À boire encor!
9. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VI: Chanson de Brander. Certain rat, dans une cuisine
10. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VI: Fugue. Amen
11. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VI: Vrai dieu! messieurs
12. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VI: Chanson de Méphistophélès. Une puce gentille
13. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VI: Assez! fuyons ces lieux
14. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VII: Air de Méphistophélès. Voici des roses
15. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VII: Choeur de gnomes et de sylphes. Songe de Faust. Dors! heureux Faust
16. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VII: Ballet des sylphes
17. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VII: Margarita!
18. The Damnation of Faust~Part Two. Scene VIII: Final. Villes entourées - Chanson d'étudiants. Jam nox stellata

Disc 2

19. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene IX: Prélude
20. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene IX: Air de Faust. Merci, doux crépuscule
21. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene X: Je l'entends!
22. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene XI: Que l'air est étouffant!
23. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene XI: Le roi de Thulé. Autrefois un roi de Thulé
24. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene XII: Evocation. Esprits des flammes inconstantes
25. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene XII: Menuet des follets (Minuet of the Will-o'-the-Wisps)
26. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene XII: Maintenant, chantons à cette belle - Sérénade de Méphistophélès. Devant la maison
27. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene XIII: Final. Grand Dieu!... Ange adoré
28. The Damnation of Faust~Part Three. Scene XIV: Allons, il est trop tard!... Je connais donc enfin
29. The Damnation of Faust~Part Four. Scene XV: Romance. D'amour l'ardente flamme
30. The Damnation of Faust~Part Four. Scene XV: Au son des trompettes
31. The Damnation of Faust~Part Four. Scene XVI: Invocation à la nature. Nature immense
32. The Damnation of Faust~Part Four. Scene XVII: Récitatif et chasse. À la voûte azurée
33. The Damnation of Faust~Part Four. Scene XVIII: La course à l'abîme. Dans mon coeur retentit sa voix
34. The Damnation of Faust~Part Four. Scene XIX: Pandæmonium. Has! Irimiru Karabrao!... Tradioun Marexil
35. The Damnation of Faust~Part Four. Scene XIX: Epilogue. Alors, l'enfer se tut
36. The Damnation of Faust~Part Four. Scene XX: Dans le ciel. Laus! Hosanna! - Apothéose de Marguerite. Remonte au ciel, âme naîve

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Edward Gardner   Primary Artist,Conductor
London Philharmonic Choir   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus
London Philharmonic Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Jonathan Lemalu   Vocals
Karen Cargill   Vocals
London Youth Choir   Choir/Chorus
Members of the London Symphony Chorus   Choir/Chorus
John Irvin   Vocals
Christopher Purves   Vocals

Technical Credits

David Burke   Executive Producer
Pieter Schoeman   Leader
Gerard de Nerval   Text
Sussie Ahlburg   Photography
Deborah Spanton   Engineer
Chris Gloag   Photography
Elena Dubinets   Executive Producer
Nadine Boyd   Photography
Graham Wood   Executive Producer
Louise Kragh   Photography
Darya Buben   Photography
Hector Berlioz   Text,Composer
Andrew Walton   Producer
David Cairns   Liner Notes,Text Translation
Benjamin Ealovega   Photography
Almire Gandonniere   Text