Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra & Stéphane Denève - Honegger: Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher (2019) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher is one of the most inventive oratorios ever composed, constantly flitting between styles and colours. It follows the historic French heroine in the hours leading up to her execution. Indeed, the run-up to her death sentence is reconstructed as if in a crime novel. Paul Claudel's lively libretto contrasts Jeanne with an assorted lot of strange and wonderful characters. More than enough reason for Honegger to open up a colourful paintbox: the work features a succession of choral passages infused with spirituality, cubist-like blocks of sound and even bits of material reminiscent of the music hall. This is grist to conductor Stéphane Denève's mill, who is a leading authority on French music and a regular guest with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; together with two choirs and a variety of soloists and actors, he realized a compelling and moving Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher.

"A “dramatic oratorio” it might be, but the performance at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw moved it in the direction of opera. This was a consequence particularly of Caecilia Thunnissen’s most effective “mise-en-espace”." (Anthony Ogus)

"An intense Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra" (BACHTRACK)

Tracklist:
1. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: I. Prologue 07:36
2. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: II. Les Voix du Ciel 02:10
3. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: III. Le Livre 03:39
4. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: IV. Les Voix de la Terre 04:11
5. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: V. Jeanne livrée aux bêtes 09:21
6. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: VI. Jeanne au poteau 03:29
7. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: VII. Les Rois ou L'invention du jeu de cartes 05:13
8. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: VIII. Catherine et Marguerite 03:16
9. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: IX. Le Roi qui va-t-à-Rheims 11:28
10. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: X. L'Épée de Jeanne 15:46
11. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: XI. Trimazô 00:50
12. Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher, H. 99: XII. Jeanne d'Arc en flammes 12:09

Personnel:
Judith Chemla, narrator
Jean-Claude Drouot, voice
Christian Gonon, voice
Adrien Gamba-Gontard, voice
Claire de Sévigné, soprano
Christine Goerke, soprano
Judit Kutasi, mezzo-soprano
Jean-Noël Briend, tenor
Steven Humes, Bass
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Rotterdam Symphony Chorus
Stéphane Denève, conductor