Léo Ferré - Verlaine et Rimbaud chantés par Léo Ferré (1964)

Although little known in English speaking countries, Léo Ferré (1916-1993) is a monument of French chanson, revered throughout the francophone world. A singer, songwriter, author, composer, and even orchestra conductor, he is mostly remembered for songs like "Avec le Temps," "Les Anarchistes," and "Jolie Môme." His career began in the cabaret and took him through four decades and a number of styles, but his best material and his popularity peak happened in the ‘60s and early ‘70s, as the generation of May ‘68 adopted him as an anarchist figure.

This LP is the third and final volume in singer/songwriter Léo Ferré's series of tributes to French symbolist poets. After Baudelaire and Apollinaire, he turns to the damned pair of Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud. The latter's brief but blinding career and his love affair with the former, his mentor, remain among the most tormented -- and freely interpretable -- pages in 19th century French literature. But Ferré is more interested in the musicality of their verses than the modernity in some of Rimbaud's poems, or the tension between debauchery and Christian mysticism in Verlaine's. His choice of poems jumps over Rimbaud's most arcane poetry (Une Saison en Enfer, the famous Vowels) to focus on his more mundane works ("Le Buffet," "Chanson de la Plus Haute Tour"). As for Verlaine, he goes with the classics, opening with "Écoutez la Chanson Bien Douce" (Listen to the Sweet Song), almost obligatory under these circumstances -- and not forgetting "Art Poétique" (beginning with the verse "Music before anything else..."). His musical approach is that of a typical French chansonnier: polished melodies backed by a music hall piano and string ensemble -- think Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, or Charles Trénet. Jean-Michel Defaye's arrangements and musical direction lack some risk-taking, leading to potentially powerful poetry being transformed into lamentable ballads -- the cynicism and plain sexual abuse of "Mes Petites Amoureuses" fizzles out; "Ma Bohème" is given too much of a pastoral treatment. Good ideas include a highly dramatic "Les Poètes de Sept Ans" (a wink at Brel's vocal delivery?) and the luscious jazz of "Pensionnaires" (two teen lesbians, almost graphic). This album presents Ferré the stylist and melodist, not the celebrated anarchic poet.

Recorded from 25 to 28 May 1964 at Studio Barclay.


Tracklist:

01 - Écoutez la chanson bien douce (Paul Verlaine)
02 - Chanson de la plus haute tour (Arthur Rimbaud)
03 - Il patinait merveilleusement (Paul Verlaine)
04 - Mon rêve familier (Paul Verlaine)
05 - Soleils couchants (Paul Verlaine)
06 - Les assis (Arthur Rimbaud)
07 - L'espoir luit comme un brin de paille dans l'étable (Paul Verlaine)
08 - Art poétique (Paul Verlaine)
09 - Les pensionnaires (Paul Verlaine)
10 - Âme, te souvient-il (Paul Verlaine)
11 - Le buffet (Arthur Rimbaud)
12 - Les poètes de 7 ans (Arthur Rimbaud)
13 - Chanson d'automne (Paul Verlaine)
14 - Les corbeaux (Arthur Rimbaud)
15 - Green (Paul Verlaine)
16 - Mes petites amoureuses (Arthur Rimbaud)
17 - Je vous vois encor (Paul Verlaine)
18 - L'étoile a pleuré rose... (Arthur Rimbaud)
19 - Ô triste, triste était mon âme (Paul Verlaine)
20 - Rêvé pour l'hiver (Arthur Rimbaud)
21 - Clair de lune (Paul Verlaine)
22 - Les chercheuses de poux (Arthur Rimbaud)
23 - Ma bohème (Arthur Rimbaud)
24 - Sérénade (Paul Verlaine)

Léo Ferré - Verlaine et Rimbaud chantés par Léo Ferré (1964)

(160 kbps, cover art included)