@jheaton0416 John, you are the fellow who sang this in DC a number of years back, correct? Be sure to check out the latest commercial recording ... with Yan-Pascal Tortelier conducting the Sao Paulo Orchestra & Chorus, on the Chandos label, from 2011. It is the equal to this great Martinon one ... finally after 30+ years.
I sing in a chorale and we just performed this last night. It was fantastic! We closed the concert with this piece and we had the audience on its feet within a half second. Such a great piece and so rarely done.
Thanks for promoting this rare work ! The last bars are so ecstatic that I am not surprised that the audience jumped on its feet at the end of the concert. I hope that this well deserved success will give ideas to other conductors.
Should be getting used to meeting fine 'new' composers on this channel, but this piece, and I suspect a good deal else of Schmitt, is a real find for me. Many thanks !
When I listen to this final, I still feel excited as I sung it for the first. It was in 1997 with the Chœur et Orchestre Interlycée in Besançon, France. We also performed Roussel's Psalm80. It was avery great moment for all of us!
it's too bad that we don't listen to it in concert more often in France...
@leclavecisnistre Can you give me more info on your performance? Who conducted, and who sang the soprano solo? And when in 1997 was it (month and/or day)? I'd like to add this to my "chronicle listing" of Psaume performances.
@Danzig987 It was performed by Chœur et Orchestre Inter-Lycées (COIL) de Besançon, France ; on march 19th, 20th & april 1st & 3rd 1997at the Grand Kursaal and also on march21st in Pontarlier.
It was conducted by Jean Mislin, and Catherine Maerten was the soprano solo.
There was also Albert Roussel's Psalm 80, with Jean Delescluse as tenor.
I've just been told it might be sung in Besançon again next year by the Chœur Schütz (also conducted by J.Mislin)... I hope it will!
I would say that Stravinsky's orchestration is dryer than Schmitt's although I agree that his Symphony of Psalms shares a certain taste for spectacular harmonies with Schmitt's works. On the contrary, Stravinsky may have influenced Schmitt in his Symphony Concertante. Anyway, these are only my personal opinions !
Stravinsky was actually very impressed by Schmitt's "Tragédie de Salomé". However, Schmitt and Stravinsky's musical idioms are, in my opinion, quite different.
To which of Marx's works do you make reference ? I have quite a few lieder from Marx but none of them can match Schmitt's psalm.
I agree that Schmitt's orchestral science is more than impressive. Should I be a composer, I would definitely study this work along with Ravel's far more famous Daphnis and Chloé.
There are several Joseph Marx choral pieces released this year on the Chandos label, conducted by Jiri Belohlavek -- the Morgengasang, the Berg-Hymne and Ein Neujahrs-hymnus. They are all world premiere recordings.
Perhaps also the final moments of Schoenberg's Gurre-Lieder, too, and the various choral works of Joseph Marx. But the Schmitt Psalm is just really different from all of these more "Germanic" works. Yes, any classical music lover who doesn't know this composition hasn't really "completed the course" yet!
The final section of Schmitt's Psalm XLVII includes the great arc of sound leading to a magificant climax ... and also keeps stellar organist Gaston Litaize very busy. As J. Reilly Lewis, director of the Cathedral Choral Society at the National Cathedral, said before performing this work in Washington DC in 2000, "You'll never hear a more exciting ending to a choral work in all of musical literature than in this magnificent Psalm." I heartily agree.
Thank you so much for posting this amazing choral work. Who performed this recording?
jheaton0416 2 months ago
Orchestre National de l'ORTF, Jean Martinon. The soprano is Andréa Guiot.
JCHBONNET 1 month ago
@jheaton0416 John, you are the fellow who sang this in DC a number of years back, correct? Be sure to check out the latest commercial recording ... with Yan-Pascal Tortelier conducting the Sao Paulo Orchestra & Chorus, on the Chandos label, from 2011. It is the equal to this great Martinon one ... finally after 30+ years.
Danzig987 1 month ago
I sing in a chorale and we just performed this last night. It was fantastic! We closed the concert with this piece and we had the audience on its feet within a half second. Such a great piece and so rarely done.
mariah17 1 year ago
Thanks for promoting this rare work ! The last bars are so ecstatic that I am not surprised that the audience jumped on its feet at the end of the concert. I hope that this well deserved success will give ideas to other conductors.
JCHBONNET 1 year ago
Should be getting used to meeting fine 'new' composers on this channel, but this piece, and I suspect a good deal else of Schmitt, is a real find for me. Many thanks !
Clivejvaughan 1 year ago
When I listen to this final, I still feel excited as I sung it for the first. It was in 1997 with the Chœur et Orchestre Interlycée in Besançon, France. We also performed Roussel's Psalm80. It was avery great moment for all of us!
it's too bad that we don't listen to it in concert more often in France...
leclavecisnistre 1 year ago
@leclavecisnistre Can you give me more info on your performance? Who conducted, and who sang the soprano solo? And when in 1997 was it (month and/or day)? I'd like to add this to my "chronicle listing" of Psaume performances.
Danzig987 1 year ago
@Danzig987 It was performed by Chœur et Orchestre Inter-Lycées (COIL) de Besançon, France ; on march 19th, 20th & april 1st & 3rd 1997at the Grand Kursaal and also on march21st in Pontarlier.
It was conducted by Jean Mislin, and Catherine Maerten was the soprano solo.
There was also Albert Roussel's Psalm 80, with Jean Delescluse as tenor.
I've just been told it might be sung in Besançon again next year by the Chœur Schütz (also conducted by J.Mislin)... I hope it will!
leclavecisnistre 1 year ago
i agree wih you but what about the "symphony of psalms" by Stravinsky? don't you thik there might be some links with Schmitt's vocal works?
beikson 1 year ago
I would say that Stravinsky's orchestration is dryer than Schmitt's although I agree that his Symphony of Psalms shares a certain taste for spectacular harmonies with Schmitt's works. On the contrary, Stravinsky may have influenced Schmitt in his Symphony Concertante. Anyway, these are only my personal opinions !
JCHBONNET 1 year ago
Schmitt was really a great composer. I read some where that Stravinsky was very found of his works, that they had an influence on him. Is it true?
beikson 1 year ago
Stravinsky was actually very impressed by Schmitt's "Tragédie de Salomé". However, Schmitt and Stravinsky's musical idioms are, in my opinion, quite different.
JCHBONNET 1 year ago
This is, stunning
gabrieloni 2 years ago
To which of Marx's works do you make reference ? I have quite a few lieder from Marx but none of them can match Schmitt's psalm.
I agree that Schmitt's orchestral science is more than impressive. Should I be a composer, I would definitely study this work along with Ravel's far more famous Daphnis and Chloé.
JCHBONNET 2 years ago
There are several Joseph Marx choral pieces released this year on the Chandos label, conducted by Jiri Belohlavek -- the Morgengasang, the Berg-Hymne and Ein Neujahrs-hymnus. They are all world premiere recordings.
Danzig987 2 years ago
I agree with J. Reilly Lewis' comments although Malher's eight and Zemlinsky's psalms are not bad either.
I would suggest to all listeners not to miss the very last seconds of this work. It is really worth the experience.
JCHBONNET 2 years ago
Perhaps also the final moments of Schoenberg's Gurre-Lieder, too, and the various choral works of Joseph Marx. But the Schmitt Psalm is just really different from all of these more "Germanic" works. Yes, any classical music lover who doesn't know this composition hasn't really "completed the course" yet!
Danzig987 2 years ago
The final section of Schmitt's Psalm XLVII includes the great arc of sound leading to a magificant climax ... and also keeps stellar organist Gaston Litaize very busy. As J. Reilly Lewis, director of the Cathedral Choral Society at the National Cathedral, said before performing this work in Washington DC in 2000, "You'll never hear a more exciting ending to a choral work in all of musical literature than in this magnificent Psalm." I heartily agree.
Danzig987 2 years ago