Album

Berlioz conceived Lélio, ou La retour à la vie as a sequel to his Symphonie Fantastique, and intended the two to be performed together. The genre of Lélio is difficult to pin down. The composer calls it a "Monodrame lyrique," which isn't a very helpful description. There are multiple characters, and the score includes stage directions more detailed than those for most operas, including the instruction for part of the orchestra to leave the stage at one point, for no apparent dramatic reason. The eccentricity of Lélio's structure and the demands of the performing forces, to say nothing of its nearly inscrutable text, have kept it from enjoying the same popularity as Symphonie Fantastique. Lélio opens with the premise that the actions depicted in Symphonie Fantastique were only a dream, and the artist (here identified as Lélio, a composer) wakes to ruminate upon the meaning of life, love, art, etc. Mostly, though, he soliloquizes about Shakespeare, specifically Hamlet and The Tempest, the latter of which is the subject of an extended fantasia that ends the work. A large part of the piece is devoted to the narrator's spoken, unaccompanied meditations; given the length of the work, there is relatively little music. The most substantial, and the most fully developed and musically rewarding section is the Tempest fantasia, for chorus, orchestra and piano, four-hands, the text of which, inexplicably, is in Italian. The music shows the composer at his most imaginative—fleet, magical, and charming, with orchestration that is characteristically odd, but effective.

The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Thomas Dausgaard, perform with energy and polish. As Lélio, baritone Jean-Philippe LaFont declaims the part dramatically and sings well in the few opportunities he's given. Tenor Sune Hjerrild capably executes his solo, but tenor Gert Henning-Jensen sounds strained and wobbly. Chandos' sound is clean but somewhat remote. Lélio should be of interest to listeners who love Symphonie Fantastique, but it's unlikely to attract a large following.

© Stephen Eddins, All Music Guide

CD 1
Hector Berlioz Composer Le carnaval romain, Op.9 Work Thomas Dausgaard Conductor, Danish National Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	Le carnaval romain, Op.9	9:18			$1.49
Hector Berlioz Composer 9 Mélodies irlandaises, for soloist, chorus and piano, Op.2 Work Thomas Dausgaard Conductor, Danish National Choir Chorus/Choir, Danish National Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Fredrick Malmberg Chorus/Choir Director
2	9 Mélodies irlandaises, for soloist, chorus and piano, Op.2	3:34			$0.99
Hector Berlioz Composer Lélio, ou Le retour à la vie, H.55, Op.14bis (monodrame lyrique) Work 40:46 Thomas Dausgaard Conductor, Gert Henning-Jensen Tenor, Danish National Choir Chorus/Choir, Jean-Philippe LaFont Baritone, Sune Hjerrild Tenor, Danish National Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Fredrick Malmberg Chorus/Choir Director
3	Spoken Dialogue: Dieu! je vis encore	2:53			$0.99
4	1.Ballade de Goethe: Le pecheur	5:14			$0.99
5	Spoken Dialogue: Étrange persistance d'un souvenir!	2:39			$0.99
6	2.Chœur d'ombres	5:52			$0.99
7	Spoken Dialogue: Ô Shakespeare! Shakespeare!	3:38			$0.99
8	3.Chanson de brigands	4:10			$0.99
9	Spoken Dialogue: Comme mon esprit flotte incertain!	1:49			$0.99
10	4.Chant de bonheur: Hymne	5:02			$0.99
11	Spoken Dialogue: Oh! que ne puis-je la trouver	1:28			$0.99
12	5.Le harpe éolienne: Souvenirs	2:55			$0.99
13	Spoken Dialogue: Mais pourquoi m'abandaonner à ces dangereuses illusions?	5:06			$0.99
Hector Berlioz Composer Lélio, ou Le retour à la vie, H.55, Op.14bis (monodrame lyrique)...6.Fantaisie sur la Tempête de Shakespeare Work 15:51 Thomas Dausgaard Conductor, Gert Henning-Jensen Tenor, Danish National Choir Chorus/Choir, Jean-Philippe LaFont Baritone, Sune Hjerrild Tenor, Danish National Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Fredrick Malmberg Chorus/Choir Director
14	1.Introduction. Andante non troppo lento	3:15			$0.99
15	2.La Tempête. Allegro assai, un peu retenu en commença	2:34			$0.99
16	3.L'Action. Un peu moins vite	6:54			$0.99
17	4.Le Dénoument. Tempo I più animato con fuoco. Presto	1:50			$0.99
18	5.Assez pour aujourd'hui	0:32			$0.99
19	6.Coda. Allegro meno mosso	0:46			$0.99