1. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 1. Choeur de la populace troyenne. Ha! ha! Apr?s dix ans 2. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 2. R?citatif et air. Les Grecs ont disparu / Malheureeux Roi! 3. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 2. R?citatif et air. Chor?be... / No. 3. Duo. C'est lui! / Reviens ? toi, vierge ador?e! 4. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 4. Marche et hymne. Dieux protecteurs de la ville ?ternelle 5. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 5. Combat de ceste - Pas de lutteurs 6. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 6. Pantomime. Andromaque et son fils! 7. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 7. Narration. Du peuple et des soldats 8. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 8. Ottetto et double choeur. Ch?timent effroyable! 9. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 9. R?citatif et choeur. Que la d?esse nous prot?ge / A cet objet sacr? formez cort?ge, e 10. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 10. Air. Non, je ne verrai pas la d?plorable f?te 11. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 1. No. 11. Final: Marche troyenne. De mes sens ?perdus...
Disc 2
1. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 2. Tableau 1. No. 12. Sc?ne et r?citatif. Introduction orchestrale / O lumi?re de Troie!... / A 2. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 2. Tableau 1. No. 13. R?citatif et choeur. Quelle esp?rance encor est permise / Le salut des va 3. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 2. Tableau 2. No. 14. Choeur - Pri?re. Ah! Puissante Cyb?le 4. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 2. Tableau 2. No. 15. R?citatif et choeur. Tous ne p?riront pas / O digne soeur d'Hector 5. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 2. Tableau 2. No. 16. Final. Complices de sa gloire / Le tr?sor! le tr?sor! 6. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 17. Choeur. De Carthage les cieux 7. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 18. Chant national. Gloire ? Didon 8. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 19. R?citatif et air. Nous avons vu finir sept ans ? peine / Chers Tyriens 9. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 20. Entr?e des constructeurs 10. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 21. Entr?e des matelots 11. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 22. Entr?e des laboureurs 12. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 23. R?citatif et choeur. Peuple! tous les honneurs / Gloire ? Didon 13. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 24. R?citatif et duo. Les chants joyeux / Sa voix fait na?tre dans mon sein 14. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 25. R?citatif et air. Echapp?s ? grand peine / Errante sur les mers. 15. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 26. Marche troyenne dans le mode triste. J'?prouve une soudaine et vive impatience 16. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 27. R?citatif. Auguste reine, un peuple errant et malheureux 17. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 3. No. 28. Final. J'ose ? peine annoncer la terrible nouvelle! / Annonce ? nos Troyens l'entrep
Disc 3
1. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 1. No. 29. Chasse royale et orage - Pantomime 2. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 30. R?citatif. Dites, Narbal, qui cause vos alarmes? 3. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 31. Air et duo. De quels revers menaces-tu Carthage / Vaine terreur 4. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 32. Marche pour l'entr?e de la reine 5. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 33. Ballets. a. Pas des Alm?es 6. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 33. Ballets. b. Danse des Esclaves 7. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 33. Ballets. c. Pas d'Esclaves nubiennes 8. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 34. Sc?ne et chant d'Iopas. Assez, ma soeur / O blondes C?r?s 9. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 35. R?citatif et quintette. Pardonne, Iopas / O pudeur! Tous conspire 10. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 36. R?citatif et septuor. Mais bannissons ces tristes souvenirs / Tout n'est 11. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 4. Tableau 2. No. 37. Duo. Nuit d'ivresse et d'extase infinie!
Disc 4
1. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 1. No. 38. Chanson d'Hylas. Vallon sonore 2. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 1. No. 39. R?citatif et choeur. Pr?parez tout, il faut partir enfin / Chaque jour vo 3. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 1. No. 40. Duo. Par Bacchus! ils sont fous avec leur Italie!... 4. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 1. No. 41. R?citatif mesur? et air. Inutiles regrets!... / Ah! quand viendra l'insta 5. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 1. No. 42. Sc?ne. Entr?e!... 6. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 1. No. 43. Sc?ne et choeur. Debout, Troyens, ?vaillez-vous, alerte! / Alert!... ente 7. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 1. No. 44. Duo et choeur. Erante sur tes pas / Italie! 8. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 2. No. 45. Sc?ne. Va, ma soeur, l'implorer 9. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 2. No. 46. Sc?ne. En mer, voyez! six vaisseaux! / Dieux immortels! il part!... 10. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 2. No. 48. Air. Adieu, fi?re cit? 11. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 3. No. 49. C?r?monie fun?bre. Dieux de l'oubli, dieux du T?nare / S'il faut enfin qu 12. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 3. No. 50. Sc?ne. Pluton... semble m'?tre propice... 13. Les Troyens, opera, H. 133a: Act 5. Tableau 3. No. 51. Choeur. Ah! au secours! au secours! la reine s'est fraoo?e! / No. 52. Imp
Customer Reviews of This Album/CD
A Classic Must-get Submitted on: 2007-10-09
Introduction:
This was the first complete (and now there is an even MORE complete Davis recording) set of this wonderful opera. Before Beecham and Davis recorded it, this opera had to undergo a very large-scale demystification process. The myths surrounding this opera were bigger than the opera itself, and nowhere half as noble. Rumor had it that the opera was "impossible". It is not impossible, and it is certainly not as difficult to stage as any of the Wagner operas. But Berlioz had few real champions, while Wagner had legions. So the "impossible" was really a prejudice, and it took conductors like Beecham, Munch, and Davis to bring Berlioz back from the crypt of obscurity. And what we rediscovered was a titan of music.
The singers:
Jon Vickers is wonderful as Aeneas; opulent and strongly voiced, without being thick. Berit Lindhold and Josephine Veasey are great as well...though admittedly some moments have them in thick voice. They sound confident and strong, but sometimes consternated. The chorus sounds brilliant.
The direction:
Colin Davis brings the Royal Hunt and Storm to life...orchestral declamations, and chorus telling Aeneas to leave Carthage. It's a very colourful and dramatic scene that never fails me. It makes for a great listen as a single orchestral piece -just like Ride of the Valkyries does...but both these famous scenes are far better with the voices.
The sound:
As far as sound goes, there is nothing to complain about. There are a few instances of certain persons being placed far back in the sound, but in these instances it is dramatically appropriate to do so for the opera's sake.
The music:
I like to equate the difficulty level of this opera with Wagner's "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg". Wagner's longest single opera was the first opera I got really involved with. I've found myself surprised that many people find it his toughest opera...for me it is his easiest. But the thing about Berlioz's Les Troyen, and Wagner's opera is that they both require you to delve into the libretto.
Final thoughts:
I suggest listening to this opera often. Listen to certain scenes at a time, if it suits you. If you find it hard to listen to because of the length, I especially recommend working at it in this way. After you've familiarized yourself with it, no doubt you will agree with me that it is par with any Wagner opera.
Original Recording Remastered? Submitted on: 2006-05-19
There is no need to add any further comments to this benchmark recording from 1969, so I am trying to figure out exactly what it is from an issue viewpoint.
Examining the box, brochure and discs add little information to its pedigree. Listed as a Philips "Classic Opera" issued by Decca Music Group is all the info available. It sounds fine and I have a suspicion it may have been remastered using the Philips 24bit,96kHz technology that was used on Berlioz's Requiem and Te Deum. The printing on the discs is about as plain vanilla as could be possible. I have not been able to find out more on the internet, so if anyone has insight into the pedigree of this recording please review and enlighten us. I do not have the original CD issue with which to compare sound quality.
A Classic Must-get