I have had very little time to prepare posts for several weeks, so I am most grateful to my friend Joe Serraglio for this notable contribution. It is the 1952 recording of Arthur Honegger's dramatic oratorio Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher from the Philadelphia Orchestra and Eugene Ormandy with Vera Zorina in the title role.
The oratorio is on texts by Paul Claudel, much of which is declaimed by Zorina and Raymond Gerome. For that reason, Joe's inclusion of the complete libretto is particularly welcome.
The recording of this 1935 work was made by American Columbia in the Academy of Music in November 1952. Joe's transfer is from the 1953 Philips pressing.
Below we have Ormandy during the recording session with Gerome and Zorina, who incidentally was the wife of Columbia president Goddard Lieberson and made occasional appearances in dramatic roles on record. She also can be heard in works by Stravinsky, Debussy, Hindemith, Milhaud and Walton. Zorina started off as a ballerina, but I first remember her emerging from a reflecting pool during the course of the Ritz Brothers movie vehicle, Goldwyn Follies, which also featured Adolf Menjou, Kenny Baker, Edgar Bergen and a score by the Gershwin brothers. (Or did I dream that?)
Thanks to Joe once again for his generosity!
Buster, We're in synch. I was just listening to a recent Japanese reissue of Charles Munch's glorious 1952/3 BSO mono recordings of Hoenegger's 2nd and 5th symphonies and wishing I could share them with the world. As a kid, I heard the Philadelphians play Honenegger and remember buying the Jean d'Arc box set. My deepest thanks to Mr. Serraglio for posting real treasure at your blog. World, download and exult!
ReplyDeleteBuster and Joe, What a way to end the month of May--by listening to Joan of Arc sing with convincing credibility of the joys of her May martyrdom. I remember when I first heard this music that I found it thrilling, although it at first compelled my surrender via a most unwilling suspension of disbelief. But the radiance of the concluding music captured me. Decades later the magic is still there. This is certainly one of Ormandy's finest hours on record. Thanks. I hope other regulars take the time for this glorious oratorio.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
ReplyDeleteAnother excellent Ormandy-Philly blockbuster recording is his complete Albeniz Iberia, Columbia M2L-237.
I am also partial to his Victor Herbert ML 5376 (1952), Offenbach KL 5069 (1954), Prokofiev 6th ML 4328(1950? 1946?),
Hindemith ML 4816 (1952-3), Strauss Don Juan & Till ML 5177 (1952), Copland Appalachian Complete Ballet & Billy Ste ML 5157 (1955)
Buster: I wasn't aware of this record, and am eager to hear it. Though my cranky nature more naturally tends to Voltaire's hilarious and irreverent conception of Joan in La Pucelle, I'm certainly not immune to Claudel's skillful and pious verse, nor, I imagine (though I've not yet heard it) to Honegger's musical setting of it. Really looking forword to this one. Thank you.
ReplyDelete@ Larry - Hope you like it - all thanks for this are due to Joe Serraglio!
ReplyDeleteBuster--
ReplyDeleteHoping you can get this one re-upped!
Tnanks.
New link (flac):
ReplyDeletehttps://mega.co.nz/#!yMlj1J7Z!SpOn19Y0u3bXKdMc1mP4n3yuQ9SkOSF6nB1dGW7fRCY
I had no idea she could sing too! She's rather good in this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Was_an_Adventuress
ReplyDeletewooldnotes - That's one I've never seen, or even heard about!
DeleteIt's rather good fun and of course she looks absolutely stunning
ReplyDelete