Search - Sophie Marin-Degor :: Dauvergne - Les Troqueurs & Concert de Simphonies a IV parties, Op. 3 No. 2 / Saint-Palais, Marin-Degor, Rivenq, Salzmann, Cappella Coloniensis, Christie

Contents of this recording

C. E. Hall | Fairfield, IA United States | 04/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The opera-bouffon "Les Troqueurs" consists of the opera itself in one-act, followed by a "ballet" -- a suite of several dance movements. The liner notes discuss the opera at length, and give some insight into the historical context of the "war" between the Italian and French opera buffa styles of this period. There isn't any commentary on the ballet music, nor on the Concert de simphonies, Op. 3 No. 2, that makes up the last part of the disc.



The Amazon track samples give the impression there are only two undivided tracks on the CD. Not so, at least not in the release that I have, anyway. Here is the complete track listing from the Harmonia Mundi France 1994 release:



Les Troqueurs: Opera Bouffon, Paris, 1753 (36:21)

1. Ouverture

2. Scene 1: Aria / Scene 2: Recitative

3. Scene 2: Aria

4. Scene 2: Duo

5. Scene 2: Recitative / Scene 3: Quartet

6. Scene 3: Aria

7. Scene 3: Recitative / Quartet / Scene 4: Recitative

8. Scene 4: Aria / Scene 5: Recitative

9. Scene 5: Larghetto / Aria

10. Scene 6: Recitative / Ariette / Scene 7: Recitative

11. Scene 7: Duo

12. Scene 8: Quartet



Les Troqueurs: Ballet (15:12)

13. Marche

14. Andantino

15. Largo

16. Allegro

17. Tambourin I

18. Tambourin I

19. Menuets I, II, III

20. Contre-danse



Concert de simphonies a IV parties, Op. 3 No. 2 in F major (20:42)

21. Ouverture

22. Minuetto gratioso

23. Minuetto secondo

24. Andante

25. Andantino

26. Allegro I & II

27. Vivace I & II

28. Chaconne



The booklet contains the full libretto in the original French, with English and German translations. This is a delightful recording, with plenty of humor in the vocal performances. Another reviewer comments on the lack of a tenor in the cast (the two men are bass and baritone, not two basses as suggested) but this may be a device the composer chose to underscore the psychological and emotional divisions between the males and females that is at the heart of the opera. In any case, I didn't miss the middle voice. Dauvergne's melodic inventiveness is charming and well-suited to the themes. I thoroughly enjoyed this disc, and all the more since I had never listened to Dauvergne before. Try it, you'll like it!



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