Search - Gabriel Pierne, Jacques Mercier, Orchestre National de Lorraine :: Pierné: L'An Mil, Les Cathedrales, Paysages Franciscains

Lush and lovely French orchestral music

Alan Dean Foster | prescott, az | 05/22/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As organist at St. Clotilde in Paris, Pierne followed Cesar Franck and preceded Charles Tournemeire, and that is exactly what his music sounds like. On this disc you'll hear echoes of Franck's soaring symphonic structures and forshadowing of Tournemeire's bells, composed in familiar idiom with Pierne's own individual touches, and all of it expertly orchestrated.



The real prize here is the premiere recording of L'An Mil (The Year 1000), a 35-minute symphonic poem with chorus intended to evoke the terror, fear, and hopeful expectation experienced by the people of Europe as that millennium year approached. The first movement immediately evokes Franck, then Mahler and Debussy. Not a bad combination. The second movement is so joyous and full of exuberance that you'll regret your ignorance of the words and inability to sing along. The third and final movement...well, just enjoy.



The prelude to Les Cathedrales (also a first recording here) is good, solid theater music. Paysages franciscains, the three-movement work that fills out the rest of the disc, is another lovely piece that echoes L'An Mil, though not as inspired.



While not possessed of the dynamic range and power of a first-rank ensemble, the Orchestre National de Lorraine plays its collective heart out here, no doubt conscious of the responsibility of recording two French orchestral premieres and taking evident delight in the fact that they are not being paid to do the 236th recording of La Mer. The chorus is a bit thin, but the music is so enjoyable you skim over the deficiencies in gratitude for having the music on disc.



I don't recall ever using the words "sensuous" and "medieval" to describe a piece of (almost) 20th century music, but both apply here."