Gramophone Awards 2023
Finalist - Choral

Gramophone Magazine
August 2022
Editor's Choice

Presto Editor's Choice
June 2022

Véronique Gens (soprano), Vannina Santoni (sopranos), Sophie Koch, Janina Baechle (mezzos), Julien Behr, Michael Spyres (tenors), Jacques Imbrailo (baritone)

Choeur et Orchestre National des Pays de La Loire, Pascal Rophé

Ravel: Alyssa
Ravel: Alcyone
Ravel: Myrrha
Ravel: L'Aurore
Ravel: La nuit
Ravel: Les Bayaderes
Ravel: Matinee de Provence
Ravel: Tout est lumiere

Between 1803 and 1968, the Grand Prix de Rome marked the zenith of composition studies at the Paris Conservatoire. In Maurice Ravels time the competition included an elimination round (a fugue and a choral piece) followed by a cantata in the form of an operatic scena. The entries were judged by a jury which generally favoured expertise and conformity more than originality and Ravels growing reputation as a member of the avant-garde was therefore hardly to his advantage, and may explain why he never won the coveted Premier Grand Prix, and the three-year stay at Romes Villa Medici that went with it.The present two-disc set brings together all the vocal works that Ravel composed for the Prix de Rome five shorter settings for choir and orchestra and three cantatas, each with three characters taking part in a plot which followed a more or less fixed sequence of introduction, recitative and aria, a duet, a trio and a brief conclusion. First published more than half a century after Ravels death, these test pieces for the Prix de Rome have never acquired the popularity of his other early works, such as Pavane pour une infante dfunte, Jeux deau or the String Quartet. They are worth more than their reputation as academic exercises might suggest, however, and deserve to be better known, especially when performed by Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire and Pascal Roph and a team of vocal soloists including Vronique Gens and Michael Spyres.

"What a delicious surprise this has turned out to be...what is beyond doubt in the three cantatas and handful of elaborated choruses presented here is his supremely affecting way with the voice above and beyond his already considerable orchestral skills." - Gramophone Magazine, August 2022.