Jacques LEGUERNEY

English Biography and list of works published by Musik Fabrik

Pour une biographie en français, cliquez ici

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• Biographie en français
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• Recent concerts with works by Jacques Leguerney
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Quotes about Leguerney's music:

Jacques Leguerney, heir to the exquisite French mélodie tradition...The Leguerney mélodies are gratifying vehicles for both singers and pianists. They reflect the nature of the man himself: elegance, grace, sophistication, and an awareness of beauty in all its forms. To be in the presence of Monsieur Leguerney, no matter how briefly, was itself an æsthetic experience. This study leads the way to establishing international recognition for a composer who so richly deserves it.

Richard Miller: Wheeler Professor of Performance and Director of the Vocal Arts Center, Oberlin Conservatory.

The twentieth century has provided us with a bounteous treasure–trove of French art songs. It was amidst this period that an extraordinary composer emerged—Jacques Leguerney. His songs form a magnum opus of undeniable beauty and originality. Unquestionably it (the publication of the Leguerney book) will help achieve the recognition that Jacques Leguerney deserves as one of the twentieth century’s great song composers.

Dalton Baldwin: Internationally acclaimed pianist, recording artist and master teacher.

There is so much character and vitality in this music that its neglect is difficult to explain. . . . [T]his music is too good to remain a rarity. It would certainly repay the championing of a new generation of interpreters, and Leguerney’s name deserves to be seen on concert programmes as a matter of course.

Graham Johnson and Richard Stokes, A French Song Companion (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000), 280, 282.

Recent concerts with works by Leguerney:

October 23, 2007, Leguerney : De l'abîme profond for Soprano, Baritone and Piano and Signes for two voices and piano, Songs of Debussy and Leguerney, Mary Dibbern, pianiste and the Crane School of Music Vocal Faculty (Deborah Massell, Soprano, Kathleen Miller, Soprano, Jill Pearon, Soprano, Kirk Dougherty, Tenor, David Pittman-Jennings, Baritone), 7:30pm at Hosmer Hall, State University of New York-Potsdam, Potsdam, New York, USA

Recent publications:

Quatuor à Cordes en Ré for two violins, viola and violoncello/pour deux violons, alto et violoncelle

Psaume 62 for medium voice and orchestra/pour

voix medium et orchestra, score (parts on rental)/partition orchestrale (matérial en location)

Suggested discography:

N.B. Most of the recordings suggested here are currently unavailable for purchase. They may however be located in libraries or purchased from collectors. People interested in these recordings are strongly encouraged to contact the record companies to suggest that they be re-issued.

LP - 1985: Jacques Leguerney: Mélodies de la Renaissance. Lisa Bonenfant, soprano; Kurt Ollmann, baritone and Mary Dibbern, pianist. Harmonia Mundi France —Action Musicale Seita. HMC 1171, stereo. Contains: Poèmes de la Pléiade, 1er Recueil.* From Poèmes de la Pléiade, 2ème Recueil: “Epipalinodie,” “Ma douce jouvence est passée.” Poèmes de la Pléiade, 4ème Recueil.* La Solitude. From Quatre Mélodies: “Le Vent nocturne.”* Deux Mélodies sur des poèmes d’Apollinaire.* Sept Poèmes de François Maynard. [Mélodies sung by Lisa Bonenfant are indicated with an asterisk.]

LP - 1986; Jacques Leguerney: Mélodies, Vol. 2. Deborah Massell, soprano; Kurt Ollmann, baritone; Mary Dibbern, pianist. Harmonia Mundi France—Action Musicale Seita. HMC 1172, stereo. Contains: Le Paysage ou La Description de Port–Royal–des–Champs. La Nuit. Le Carnaval. From Poèmes de la Pléiade, 2ème Recueil: “Ah! Bel–Accueil,” “A sa maîtresse (Sérénade),” “A son page.” From Poèmes de la Pléiade, 3ème Recueil: “Je fuis les pas frayés,” “A Cupidon,” “La Fontaine d’Hélène.” Poèmes de la Pléiade, 6ème Recueil. From Poèmes de la Pléiade, 7ème Recueil: “La Caverne d’Echo,” “Le Vallon.” Poèmes de la Pléiade, 8ème Recueil.* From Quatre Mélodies: “Come away, come away,” “Nuit d’été.”* “Signes” [duo Massell–Ollmann]. [Mélodies sung by Deborah Massell are indicated with an asterisk.]

CD - 1996 Jacques Leguerney. 28 Mélodies. Danielle Borst, soprano; Brigitte Balleys, mezzo–soprano; Philippe Huttenlocher, baritone; Mary Dibbern, pianist. Claves Records—Radio Suisse Romande: Espace 2, CD 50–9618. Grand Prix du Disque: Académie du Disque Français. Selection: Swiss Radio International. Contains Poèmes de la Pléiade, 1er Recueil.* Poèmes de la Pléiade, 4ème Recueil. Poèmes de la Pléiade, 5ème Recueil.* Poèmes de la Pléiade, 7ème Recueil [“La Caverne d’Echo,” “Nous ne tenons,”* “Le Vallon”]. Poèmes de la Pléiade, 8ème Recueil.* Duets: “Signes”*/** and “De l’abîme profond.”*/** From Mélodies sur des poèmes de Paul–Jean Toulet: “Ces roses,” “Douce plage.” Deux Mélodies sur des poèmes d’Apollinaire.* From Quatre Mélodies: “Nuit d’été,”* “Le Présent,” “Le Vent nocturne.” [Mélodies sung by Danielle Borst are indicated with an asterisk. Mélodies sung by Philippe Huttenlocher are indicated with a double asterisk.]

CD - 1996 Irma Kolassi: Mélodies françaises. Mélodies et Chansons de Leguerney, Fauré, Duparc, Bizet, Dalcroze, Martini, Hahn, Messager, Séverac, Kœchlin. (Recorded 1956–1957). Irma Kolassi, mezzo–soprano and Jacqueline Robin (Bonneau), pianist. Dante–Lys Recordings. LYS 149–150 (2 CD set). Contains: Le Paysage ou La Description de Port–Royal–des–Champs. From Sept Poèmes de François Maynard: “Epigramme à un mauvais payeur,” “Dans la forêt,” “Compliments à une duègne.” From Poèmes de la Pléiade, 2ème Recueil: “Ma douce jouvence est passée.”

CD - 1996 Jacques Leguerney: Mélodies. Didier Henry, baritone and Angéline Pondepeyre, piano. Maguelone MAG 519.232. Contains: Le Carnaval. La Nuit. La Solitude. Sept Poèmes de François Maynard. Poèmes de la Pléiade, 1er Recueil. Poèmes de la Pléiade, 4ème Recueil. Poèmes de la Pléiade, 5ème Recueil. From Poèmes de la Pléiade, 6ème Recueil: “Sérénade d’un barbon,” “Le Paresseux,” “L’Insouciant.”

CD - 1997 Germaine Lubin: Intégrale de son Héritage. Germaine Lubin, soprano; Gérard Souzay, baritone and Georges Viseur, pianist. (Recorded from 1927 to 1954). Dante–Lys Recordings. LYS S247 (2 CD set). Contains: “Signes.”

CD - 2000 Gérard Souzay: The Early Recordings. Gérard Souzay, baritone; Jacqueline Robin (Bonneau) pianist. BAM Recordings, Dutton Laboratories CDLX 7036 (Harmonia Mundi, dist.). Audio CD. Contains: Sept Poèmes de François Maynard.

CD - 2000 Gérard Souzay. Gérard Souzay, baritone and pianists Jacqueline Robin (Bonneau), Jean–Michel Damase, Irène Aïtoff. Pearl 0063 (Koch, dist.). Audio CD. Contains “Signes.”

Biographical Sketch

Gérard Souzay, French baritone, said of Jacques Leguerney’s music: “How does one describe this music which is, at the same time, classic and modern? It is pure, but colorfully nuanced; it speaks to the heart as well as the mind: at times calm; at times witty; wise, yet sensual. The music of Jacques Leguerney is un jardin à la française, both elegant and stylish.”

Jacques Leguerney was born in Le Havre on 19 November 1906. His uncle bought his first piano and encouraged him to study and write music. He wrote chamber works, and took a few semesters of harmony with Nadia Boulanger, who arranged for a performance of his Epitaphe guerrière and Clair de lune in a concert organized by the Société musical indépendante at the Salle Pleyel. However, he decided not to continue his studies. He felt that his gift was natural and spontaneous, and that anyone who understood music should not have to do exercises to learn to compose.

In 1928, Jane Bathori took an interest in Leguerney, including two songs during her tour in Argentina, and the following year at the Salle Erard in Paris. In 1932, when his father died, Leguerney took over the family business and stopped composing until the outbreak of World War II. The period extending from the German occupation of France to the end of the 1940s constitutes one of the important periods of Leguerney’s musical life. He began his extended song cycle, Poèmes de la Pléiade, and wrote many songs upon poems of Paul-Jean Toulet. He also continued to compose chamber music, including the Sonatine pour violon et piano, the “Fantasie pour piano” and the Quatuor à cordes en Ré.

An important year for Leguerney was 1943. He met musical colleagues who would become his major interpreters. These included Gérard Souzay as well as his half-sister, soprano Geneviève Touraine; pianist Jacqueline Robin (Bonneau), Pierre Bernac, and Francis Poulenc. Robin (Bonneau) particularly influenced Leguerney’s style. His piano accompaniments were created specifically for her virtuosic and sensitive style of pianism. Bernac observed that Leguerney wrote melodies de pianiste.

In 1946, Leguerney created a ballet on the mythological story of Endymion. The premiere was at the Opéra de Paris on 27 July 1949, with choreography by Serge Lifar. The Opéra de Paris immediately commissioned a second work, which was La Vénus noire, based upon a short story by Prosper Mérimée. This ballet was never produced, due to disagreements with the choreographer. Leguerney became discouraged and this situation was to lead to the end of his interest in composing.

However, the years 1950-1954 brought Leguerney widespread recognition as he created his beautiful mélodie cycles including La Nuit, La Solitude (for piano as well as an orchestration), Le Paysage, and Le Carnaval, as well as the cantata Psaume LXII de David. Gérard Souzay requested many new works for his recitals and premiered La Nuit, Le Carnaval and Sept Poèmes de François Maynard. Pierre Bernarc and Francis Poulenc, as well as Bernard Lefort and Germaine Tailleferre, performed Leguerney’s mélodies during their international concert tours.

From 1951 to 1959, Leguerney was the artistic director of the recording company Lumen. Among other projects, he organized recordings of his works by Gérard Souzay, Geneviève Touraine and Jacqueline Robin (Bonneau). The Lumen recording of Leguerney’s Quatuor à Cordes en Ré won the Grand Prix de Disque de l’Académie Charles Cros in 1959.

Chez Leguerney,American soprano Lisa Bonenfant, Pianist Mary Dibbern and baritone Kurt Ollmann preparing to record Leguerney's songs under his supervision.

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