NAXOS Arthur Honegger: Le Roi David (Original Version) Classical CD

UPC: 730099464925
Product Type: Audio CD
Brand Name: NAXOS
MPN: 8.553649
Genre: Classical / Religious
Style: Oratorio / Symphonic Psalm / Modernism
Composer: Arthur Honegger (1892–1955)
Performers: Jacques Martin (Narrator), Danielle Borst (Soprano), Marie-Ange Todorovitch (Mezzo-soprano), Gilles Ragon (Tenor), Chœur Régional Vittoria d’Ile de France, Orchestre de la Cité
Conductor: Michel Piquemal
Release Year: 1999
 
Product Features
Format: Digital Audio Compact Disc (DDD)
Total Playing Time: 66:04
Instrumentation: Small ensemble (six woodwind, four brass, harmonium, piano, percussion, double bass)
Language: French (English, German, and French text included in booklet)
Recording Venue: Salle Pleyel, Paris (Recorded June 1997)
 
Overview
Immerse yourself in the biblical epic of Le Roi David (King David), a masterpiece by the Swiss-French composer Arthur Honegger. This recording presents the rare "Original Version" of the work, capturing the raw, avant-garde energy of its 1921 premiere. As a "Symphonic Psalm," it follows the dramatic life of David from his days as a shepherd to his triumphs as King of Israel, woven together by a narrator and soaring choral movements.

From the Back Cover: Of Swiss parentage, Arthur Honegger was generally regarded as a French composer and became linked with the group of revolutionary young musicians known as ‘Les Six’. Le Roi David was composed in 1921 and was his first major success. Originally intended as a work for the stage, he later described it as a symphonic oratorio, a narrator linking the arias and choruses. The colourful score relates the biblical story of the triumph of David over Goliath and Saul. The original version heard here is scored for a small ensemble of six woodwind, four brass, a harmonium, a piano, two timpani, a double bass, a gong, and a tam-tam.

 
Overview (Français)
Découvrez l'épopée biblique de Le Roi David, un chef-d'œuvre du compositeur franco-suisse Arthur Honegger. Cet enregistrement présente la rare « version originale » de l'œuvre, capturant l'énergie brute et avant-gardiste de sa création en 1921. Ce « Psaume symphonique » retrace la vie dramatique de David, de ses jours de berger à ses triomphes en tant que roi d'Israël, le tout lié par un narrateur et des mouvements choraux majestueux.

 
Interesting Facts
The "Les Six" Connection: Honegger was a prominent member of "Les Six," a group of composers in Montparnasse who sought to move away from Wagnerian heavy-handedness and Impressionist vagueness.
Rapid Composition: Honegger reportedly composed the entire work in just two months to meet the deadline for the play by René Morax.
Small Ensemble Power: Unlike the later full orchestral version, this original version uses a harmonium and piano, giving it a unique, transparent, and almost "stravinskian" texture.
Visual Inspiration: The cover art features a stunning 13th-century stained-glass depiction of King David from the Chartres Cathedral in France.
 
Interesting Facts (Français)
Le Groupe des Six : Honegger était un membre éminent du « Groupe des Six », un collectif de compositeurs de Montparnasse cherchant à s'éloigner du wagnérisme et de l'impressionnisme.
Composition Rapide : On raconte qu'Honegger a composé l'intégralité de l'œuvre en seulement deux mois pour respecter les délais de la pièce de René Morax.
Puissance d'un Petit Ensemble : Contrairement à la version orchestrale ultérieure, cette version originale utilise un harmonium et un piano, offrant une texture unique et transparente.
 
Track Listing
Le Roi David (Symphonic Psalm in three parts)

1-14. Part I: The shepherd David, the battle with Goliath, and the jealousy of Saul (29:06)
15-16. Part II: David’s crowning and the festive dance before the Ark (12:24)
17-27. Part III: The reign of David, his sin, his repentance, and the coronation of Solomon (24:33)
 
Publishers
Publisher: Foetisch, Lausanne (Éditions Salabert)
Copyright: ℗ 1997 HNH International Ltd. © 1999 HNH International Ltd.
Distribution: MVD Music and Video Distribution GmbH.
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