Jules Massenet - Songs with Orchestra II (Various Artists)

Information

Composer: Jules Massenet

1. Noël païen
2. Larmes maternelles
3. Élégie
4. Sainte Thérèse prie
5. Don César de Bazan, Act III: Entracte-Sévillana
6. Chansons des bois d'Amaranthe: I. Ô bon printemps
7. Chansons des bois d'Amaranthe: II. Oiseau des bois
8. Chansons des bois d'Amaranthe: III. Chères fleurs
9. Chansons des bois d'Amaranthe: IV. Ô ruisseau
10. Chansons des bois d'Amaranthe: V. Chantez!
11. Orphelines
12. Première danse
13. La Rivière
14. Avril est amoureux
15. Schwanengesang, D. 957: No. 12, Am Meer (transcr. Jules Massenet)
16. Chanson pour elle
17. Départ
18. Expressions lyriques: No. 1, Dialogue
19. Expressions lyriques: No. 2, Les Nuages
20. Expressions lyriques: No. 4, Battements d’ailes
21. Expressions lyriques: No. 7, Nocturne
22. Expressions lyriques: No. 8, Mélancolie
23. Le Petit Jésus
24. La Nuit

Hélène Guilmette, soprano

Marie-Andrée Bouchard-Lesieur, mezzo-soprano

Julien Henric, tenor

Thomas Dolié, baritone

Orchestre de l'Opéra Normandie Rouen

Pierre Dumoussaud, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Bru Zane

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With this second release devoted to Jules Massenet’s mélodies for voice and orchestra, the Palazzetto Bru Zane completes the first comprehensive recording of his works in this genre, continuing a project initiated a decade ago. Following the rediscovery of orchestral songs by Saint-Saëns in 2017, the Centre de musique romantique française has progressively revived numerous examples by major French composers. This research revealed that Massenet composed more than fifty orchestral mélodies previously unpublished and unrecorded. Their inclusion on this disc restores an important chapter of French vocal music. The recording was made at the Opéra Normandie Rouen in April 2025.

Pierre Dumoussaud is a French conductor whose career combines symphonic breadth, operatic depth, and a strong affinity for French repertoire. Trained at the Paris Conservatoire, he gained early recognition after winning the 2017 International Competition for Opera Conductors and was named Victoire de la Musique “Révélation Chef d’orchestre” in 2022. He has conducted leading orchestras and opera houses across Europe and Asia and will become Music Director of the Opéra Orchestre Normandie Rouen from 2026–2027. His award-winning discography and collaborations with prominent soloists confirm his growing international stature.