Gérard Souzay - Henri Duparc, L'invitation au voyage

[TheIrvon]

Nothing but order and beauty. That accompaniment is sublime!

[TheGerman6th]

I love this

[monsieurw1]

I would take up an invitation to a voyage from a voice like that.

[shaun20483]

This should really be sung by a high voice

[peduzzi89]

@shaun20483 Not really....Souzay is one of the benchmark singers of this music.

[sdegrace]

Tellement beau. On revient à lui même après des années. 

[eze102]

BEAUTIFUL INDEED HEARD HIM IN PERSON IN CANADA

[requiemsama]

I've been working on this art song for the last 6 months for my Master's recital.

The most intriguing thing is Duparc's ability to voice himself as a person through each passage. The floating tritones alongside a very sad melody ironically brings out an extremely sensual tune suitable for a darker, masculine tone.

Which is thus why I will always believe that men should be the ones singing this piece.

[iuvina20]

Eine Interpretation, die unter die Haut geht!!

[terrynyc]

Very beautiful indeed. However, I know other recordings by Souzay. This one is clocking in a step lower than he usually sings it. I am wondering - is this a late recording? (singers do sometimes transpose down as they get older) or is it possible the pitch is incorrect?

[einalemland]

@terrynyc

No, it is not a late recording.

My original recording is much clearer.

I lost quality on you tube.

[J0HNW0UDT]

@terrynyc

Perhaps Souzay felt not comfortable enough to sing the high note on ' lumiere' [3:23] with full voice. His beautiful voix mixte would not have been an option here.

But compare for instance Bernard Kruysen on youtube who sings it in the original key

[giloubreizh]

Mon professeur de chant interprétait cette mélodie de manière trop exaltée. M. Souzay la chante de façon très élégante, avec retenue, délicatesse.

[stevevandien]

VERY beautiful. Souzay's technical skill, interpretative sensitivity and sheer tonal

beauty are all at their highest levels in this recording:).

[jlaurson]

Souzay is sublime in this. Impossible not to adore completely... idiosyncrasies and all.

[stevevandien]

Absolutely!

[pianomags]

Only ever heard women singing this until today. Very beautiful, sensitive delivery. Of the female singers I do like Jessye Norman's performance from French TV, she knows how to hold back. But best to hear it sung to you by a man.

[meltzerboy]

In this song and in the performance of melodies in general, Souzay's only clear rival is Panzera.

[meltzerboy]

@meltzerboy I must amend this statement to include also Camille Maurane.

[meltzerboy]

Exemplary performance of this very beautiful French art song by a true master. Apart from the wonderful French diction, Souzay's singing reveals a sense of style, nuance, and phrasing, dynamic contrast, and tonal color. Elegant and expressive singing that elicits all the subtleties of Duparc's music and Baudelaire's poem. Less subtle and nuanced perhaps, but lovely nonetheless, is Pons' recording of the song. By contrast, Teyte's performance sounds to me more superficial and less sensitive.