Track Listing

CD 1: (77:57)

ROBERT LE DIABLE

Act 1
1. Jadis régnait en Normandie 3:11
  Émile-Frantz Sardet as Raimbaut; 11 June 1909; GRAMOPHONE (01090v) 032125  
2. Va, dit-elle, va, mon enfant 3:09
  Berthe Auguez de Montalant as Alice; October 1908; GRAMOPHONE (6487h) 33716  
3. Au tournoi, chevaliers … Ô fortune, à ton caprice [Sicilienne] 3:17
  Léon Escalaïs as Robert; Milan, 1 December 1905; FONOTIPIA (XPh 498) 39414  
Act 3
4. Du rendezvous … Ah, l’honnête homme! 2:49
  Paul Aumonier as Bertram and Jules Gautier as Raimbaut; August 1904; ODEON (XP 876) 33827  
5. Ah, l’honnête homme! … Le bonheur est dans l’inconstance 8:10
  Marcel Journet as Bertram and Edmond Clément as Raimbaut; Camden, New Jersey, 18 January 1912; VICTOR (C-11468-1 / C-11469-1) 76020/76021  
6. Encore un de gagné [Valse Infernale] 3:07
  Juste Nivette as Bertram; ca. 1908; ODEON (XP 3885) 60652  
7. Oui, j’entends les éclats de leur joie infernale … Noirs démons [Valse Infernale] 3:50
  Marcel Journet as Bertram and chorus; ca. 1908; Camden, New Jersey, 19 January 1912; VICTOR (C-11473-2) 74282  
  (Chorus sings in Italian)  
8. Quand je quittai la Normandie 2:26
  Léonie Tanésy as Alice; ca. 1902; PATHÉ CYLINDER 361  
9. Des chevaliers de ma patrie (Di mia patria ai cavalieri) 1:46
  Antonio Paoli as Robert (Tenor part only of Robert/Bertram duet); sung in Italian; Milan, 15 May 1909; GRAMOPHONE (13258b) 2-52712  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
10. Voici donc les débris … Nonnes qui reposez [Evocation des Nonnes] 3:55
  Pol Plançon as Bertram; Camden, New Jersey, August 1908; VICTOR (C-6110-1) 85125  
Act 4
11. Robert, Robert, toi que j’aime 4:06
  Berthe Auguez de Montalant as Isabelle; October 1908; GRAMOPHONE (854i) 033066  
Act 5
12. Malheureux ou coupables [Choeur des Moines] 3:15
  Gaston de Poumayrac, tenor; Louis Nansen, tenor; Henri Dangès, baritone; and Hippolyte Belhomme, bass; 1911; PATHÉ 842  
  (Sung as a quartet)  

LES HUGUENOTS

Act 1
13. Sous ce beau ciel 2:55
  Mario Corpait as Raoul; 1909; ODEON (XPh 4610) X.97348  
14. Bonheur de la table 2:41
  Henri Sayetta, Bernard Boussagol, Thomas Bonnemoy, Charles Millot, and chorus; 1909; GRAMOPHONE (5544h) 34699  
15. Ah, quel spectacle enchanteur … Plus blanche que la blanche hermine 3:39
  Georges Granal as Raoul; 30 December 1909; GRAMOPHONE (01288 1/2v) 032127  
  (Sung in original key of b-flat)  
16. Ah! Viens, divin Luther … Seigneur, rempart et seul soutien [Choral de Luther] 3:05
  Paul Aumonier as Marcel; 1910; PATHÉ-APGA P.302  
17. C’était alors … Piff! Paff! … Pour les couvents, c’est fini 3:55
  Marcel Journet as Marcel; Camden, New Jersey, 14 January 1910; VICTOR (C-8552-1) 74156  
18. Nobles seigneurs, salut! … Une dame noble et sage 3:23
  Charlotte Agussol as Urbain; 1906; APGA 1301  
Act 2
19. Ô beau pays … A ce mot seul s’anime 8:23
  Lily Dupré as Marguerite de Valois; 20 November 1912; GRAMOPHONE (02581v/ 02582v) 033158/033159  
20. Non, non, non, vous n’avez jamais, je gage [No, no giammai] 3:06
  Armida Parsi-Pettinella as Urbain; sung in Italian; Milan, 22 April 1906; FONOTIPIA (XPh1818-2) 39646  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
21. Beauté divine, enchanteresse … Ah, si j’étais coquette 3:41
  Agustarello Affre as Raoul and Lise Landouzy as Marguerite de Valois; 1907; ODEON (XP 3682) 56161  
CD 2: (78:01)
Act 3
1. Rataplan [Choeur des Soldats] 3:22
  Émile-Frantz Sardet and chorus; 14 March 1910; GRAMOPHONE (01356v) 032136  
2. Rentrez, habitants de Paris [Choeur du couvre-feu] 1:39
  Henri Weber as the Night Watchman and chorus; 1904; GRAMOPHONE (4172F) 34633  
3. Dans la nuit … Ah, l’ingrat d’une offense mortelle … Tu ne peux éprouver ni comprendre 8:06
  André Gresse as Marcel and Marie Lafargue as Valentine; 26 November 1912; GRAMOPHONE (02591v/02592v) 034183/034184  
4. En mon bon droit j’ai confiance 2:59
  Agustarello Affre as Raoul, with Eugène Fréville, Eugène Claudin, Lucien Rigaux, Henri-Alexandre Lequien, M. Bernard, and Armand Narçon; 1908; ODEON (xP 4452) 97142  
5. Noble dame (Nobil dama) 2:06
  Mario Ancona as Nevers; sung in Italian; New York, February 1907; EDISON: TWO-MINUTE WAX CYLINDER B-41  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
Act 4
6. Des troubles renaissants … Pour cette cause sainte [Conjuration] 4:05
  Pierre d’Assy as Saint-Bris, Bernard Boussagol as Nevers, and Marthe Bakkers as Valentine; 1908; GRAMOPHONE (885i) 034032  
7. Gloire au grand Dieu vengeur … Dieu le veut! [Bénédiction des Poignards] 4:08
  Pierre d’Assy as Saint-Bris with chorus; 2 December 1908; GRAMOPHONE (0865v) 032108  
8. Ô ciel! Où courez-vous … Le danger presse et le temps vole 3:30
  Antoinette Laute-Brun as Valentine and Agustarello Affre as Raoul; 1909; ODEON (xP 4889) 97512  
9. Tu m’aimes? … Tu l’as dit 3:47
  Antoinette Laute-Brun as Valentine and Agustarello Affre as Raoul; 1909; ODEON (xP 4890) 97513  
10. Plus d’amour, plus d’ivresse 3:23
  Antoinette Laute-Brun as Valentine and Agustarello Affre as Raoul; 1909; ODEON (xP 4891) 97514  
Act 5
11. Savez-vous qu’en joignant vos mains [L’interrogatoire] 2:59
  Jean Vallier as Marcel; 1907; GRAMOPHONE (5069h) 3-32722  

LE PROPHÈTE

Act 1
12. Un jour dans les flots de la Meuse (Einst in dieses Stromes Wellen Fiel ich) 2:55
  Elise Elizza as Berthe and Hermine Kittel as Fidès; sung in German; Vienna, 1905; GRAMOPHONE (686r) 2-44037  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
Act 2
13. Sous les vastes arceaux d’un temple magnifique (In eines Domes Wunderbau, von Säulen getragen) [Le Rêve] 3:56
  Leo Slezak as Jean; sung in German; 2 June 1910; GRAMOPHONE (01514v) 042255  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
14. Pour Berthe moi, je soupired 3:32
  Agustarello Affre as Jean; 1906; ODEON (xP 2455) 36534  
15. Ah, mon fils, sois béni 3:28
  Blanche Deschamps-Jehin as Fidès; 1908; ODEON (Xp 4299-2) 97041  
Act 3
16. Aussi nombreux que les étoiles 2:57
  Juste Nivette as Zacharie; October 1906; APGA 1239  
17. Roi du ciel et des anges 2:16
  Albert Alvarez as Jean; 1903; PATHÉ 1653  
Act 4
18. Donnez, donnez! 3:36
  Marie Charbonnel as Fidès; 29 December 1913; GRAMOPHONE (18591u) 33879  
19. Un pauvre pélerin! (Ein armer Pilger naht!) 3:18
  Margarethe Matzenauer as Fidès and Melanie Kurt as Berthe; sung in German; Berlin, 7 December 1910; GRAMOPHONE (2118c) 044175  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
20. Dernier espoir, lueur dernière (Nein! So sank der Hoffnung letzte Blüte) 4:06
  Ottilie Metzger as Fidès and Melanie Kurt as Berthe; sung in German; Berlin, 20 January 1911; GRAMOPHONE (2168c) 044176  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
21. Grand Dieu, exaucez ma prière (Grosser Gott, in den himmlischen Höhen) [Air de l’imprécation] 3:07
  Margarethe Ober as Fidès; sung in German; Berlin, 1911; PATHÉ 54533  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
22. Qui je suis? … Je suis, hélas! La pauvre femme (Wer ich bin? … Ich bin, weh’ mir, die tief Beklagenswerte) [Scène de l’Église] 2:12
  Hermine Kittel as Fidès, sung in German; Vienna, 1906; GRAMOPHONE (9941u) 43907  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
23. Tu chérissais ce fils? (Liebtest du diesen Sohn?) [L’exorcisme] 2:31
  Erik Schmedes as Jean and Hermine Kittel as Fidès; sung in German; Vienna, 1906; GRAMOPHONE (9958u) 2-44186  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  
CD 3: (78:16)
Act 5
1. Ô prêtres de Baal … Ô toi qui m’abandonnes [Scène de la Prison] 3:50
  Ernistine Schumann-Heink as Fidès; Camden, New Jersey, 26 September 1907; VICTOR (C-4838-2) 88094  
2. Il va venir … Comme un éclair précipité [Scène de la Prison] 2:52
  Ernistine Schumann-Heink as Fidès; Camden, New Jersey, 26 September 1907; VICTOR (C-4839-1) 88095  
3. Mon fils? … Je n’en ai plus 2:49
  Gaston Dubois as Jean and Amelia Talexis as Fidès; ca.1907; ODEON (xp 3802) 60561  
4. A la voix de ta mère 3:00
  Gaston Dubois as Jean and Amelia Talexis as Fidès; ca. 1907; ODEON (xp 3803) 60586  
5. Versez! Que tout respire (Beviam! Che tutto spiri) [Chanson Bachique] 2:10
  Mario Gilion as Jean; sung in Italian; Milan, 15 October 1910; FONOTIPIA (XPh 4382) 92659  
  (No existing recording sung in French)  

APPENDIX

ROBERT LE DIABLE

Act 1
6. Va, dit-elle, va, mon enfant (Geh’! sprach sie zu mir) 3:11
  Emmy Destinn as Alice; March 1908; ODEON (xB 3612) 64855  
Act 3
7. Ah, l’honnête homme! … Le bonheur est dans l’inconstance 8:00
  Paul Payan as Bertram and Edmond Tirmont as Raimbaut; 3 May 1912/22 May 1912; GRAMOPHONE (02385v/02443v) 034130/034138  
8. Quand je quittai la Normandie (Eh’ ich die Normandie verlassen) 3:39
  Emmy Destinn as Alice; sung in German; Berlin, March 1908; ODEON (xB 3613) 64837  
Act 4
9. Robert, Robert, toi que j’aime (Robert! Robert, mein Geliebter) 4:30
  Lilli Lehman as Isabelle; sung in German; Berlin, 5 July 1907; ODEON (xxB 3148) IRCC 80009  

LES HUGUENOTS

Act 1
10. Plus blanche que la blanche hermine 2:18
  Albert Vaguet as Raoul and Pierre Monteux, viola; 1903; PATHÉ CYLINDER 3844  
  (Sung in original key of b-flat)  
11. Ah, quel spectacle enchanteur … Plus blanche que la blanche hermine (Vse prelest v ney) 4:15
  Dmitri Smirnov as Raoul; sung in Russian; St. Petersburg, 15 October 1913; GRAMOPHONE (2857 C) 022338 (Transposed down to A)  
12. Pour les couvents c’est fini 2:52
  Pol Plançon as Marcel; London, 30 May 1902; GRAMOPHONE (1936G) 2-2661  
13. Une dame noble et sage (Vaga donna, illustre e cara) 2:24
  Eugenia Mantelli as Urbain; sung in Italian; New York, 1899; BETTINI CYLINDER  
Act 2
14. Ô beau pays … A ce mot seul s’anime (O glücklich Land … Dies einz’ge Wörtlein “Liebe”) 7:21
  Margarethe Siems as Marguerite de Valois; sung in German; Berlin, February 1911; PARLOPHON (574/575) P-574/P-575  
15. A ce mot seul s’anime [Fragment from Queen’s cabaletta] 2:07
  Attributed to Suzanne Adams as Marguerite de Valois; Metropolitan Opera House, New York, 1 March 1902; MAPLESON CYLINDER originally issued on IRCC 5002  
  (Previously thought to be sung by Nellie Melba. John Stratton’s article in Recorded Sound, July 1968 gives strong evidence for Suzanne Adams)  
16. Beauté divine, enchanteresse … Ah, si j’étais coquette (Wer uns Vertrauen gab … Ach, wär’ ich so wie and’re Frauen) 8:10
  Frieda Hempel as Marguerite de Valois and Hermann Jadlowker as Raoul; sung in German; Berlin, September 1911; ODEON (xxb5185-2/xxB5184-1) Lxx76902/Lxx76903  
  (This version contains more music than any recording sung in French)  
17. Des troubles renaissants … Pour cette cause sainte [Conjuration] 3:03
  Jean-François Delmas as Saint-Bris (sung as a solo); December 1904; FONOTIPIA (XPh 512) 39027  
18. Dieu le veut! [Bénédiction des Poignards] 3:24
  Jean-François Delmas as Saint-Bris with chorus; 1907; ODEON (XP 4338) 56181;  
19. Le danger presse … Tu l’as dit 2:16
  Léonie Tanésy as Valentine and M. Vallade as Raoul; 1902; PATHÉ CYLINDER 2864  

LE PROPHÈTE

Act 2
20. Ah, mon fils, sois béni 3:13
  Suzanne Brohly as Fidès; 1908; GRAMOPHONE (6246h) 33712  
Act 3
21. Roi du ciel et des anges 2:53
  Léon Escalaïs as Jean; Milan; 29 November 1905; FONOTIPIA (XPh 495) 39429  

All selections recorded in Paris unless otherwise noted.

All selections sung in French unless otherwise noted.

CD 1: Accompaniment: Tracks [1-2, 5-7,10-19, 21] accompanied by orchestra; Tracks [3-4, 8-9, 20] accompanied by piano

CD 2: Accompaniment: All tracks accompanied by orchestra, except Track 17, which is accompanied by piano

CD 3: Accompaniment: Tracks [1-9, 11, 14-21] accompanied by orchestra; Tracks [10, 12-13] accompanied by piano

 

Producers: Ward Marston and Scott Kessler

Audio Conservation: Ward Marston

Booklet Design: Takeshi Takahashi

The scope of Meyerbeer on Record is such that it not only required the assistance of many specialized collectors and scholars, it also required substantial funding. Therefore, Marston would like to thank the Pauls Foundation and the estate of John Stratton, under the guidance of its Trustee, Stephen Clarke for their substantial contributions, which have subsidized the cost of this set. Marston would also like to extend special thanks to Richard Arsenty, whose discographic research was invaluable in selecting the recordings chosen on this set. Finally, Marston would like to thank Luc Bourrousse, whose primary research has shed light onto the lives of many less well-known French singers.

Photographs: Marston would like to thank Girvice Archer, Gregor Benko, Luc Bourrousse, Harold Bruder, Ramonia Fasio, Roger Gross, Charles Mintzer, John Pennino, Robert Tuggle, and Peter van der Waal for their help in providing photos for our booklet. Marston would also like to thank and recognize the Metropolitan Opera Archives for providing the photo of Dmitri Smirnov as well as the featured photos of Pol Plançon, Marcel Journet, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Albert Alvarez (page 17), and Giacomo Meyerbeer.

Original recordings: Marston would like to thank the following for making their record collections available for the production of this CD release: Gregor Benko, J. Neil Forster, Harry Glaze, Lewis Hall, Denys Harry, Lawrence F. Holdridge, John Humbley, and Peter Lack.

Marston would also like to thank Alexander Proidakov for providing a digital transfer of Eugenia Mantelli’s previously unknown Bettini cylinder of “Vaga donna” from Les Huguenots; Stephen Clarke; and Raymond Edwards.

The following selections are re-recorded from copies in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Laurence C. Witten II in the Yale Collection of Historical Sound Recordings, Yale University Library:
CD 1: Tracks 8, 14, and 19 / CD 2: Tracks 6-7, 12, 16, and 22-23 / CD 3: Track 21

Biographies: Marston would like to thank the following for providing biographical information for this CD release: Harold Bruder, Luc Bourrousse, Lawrence F. Holdridge, and John Humbley.

The original six-disc LP record album of the complete Mapleson Cylinders is still available for purchase directly from the Rodgers & Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, in New York.