JOSEPH JONGEN (1873-1953): Comala, Op. 14, Clair de lune, Op. 33 (orch. and piano versions; Marcelle Mercenier [piano

Description: The cantata with which Jongen won the 1897 Pirx de Rome, Comala sets the first two-thirds of a Symbolist text by Paul Gilson (and, thus, belongs with such contemporary operatic Symbolism as D'Indy's Fervaal, Lalo's Le Roi d'Ys and Royer's Salammbô) whose main character is Fingal whose self-sacrifice in battle, defending civilization against barbarian hordes, and whose heroine, Comala, is preparing to do likewise at the end of the set text, comes as close to Parsifal as one could want. This is vivid, exciting music, conducted with Kleiberesque brio by the unknown - at least to disc - Haeck (who brings the same electricity to Mathieu's Freyhir below), which no red-blooded Romanticist will want to be without. French-English texts. Sophie Marin-Degor (soprano), Marc Laho (tenor), Roger Joakim (baritone), Namur Symphonic Choir, Liège Philharmonic Orchestra; Jean-Pierre Haeck.