Koechlin: Le Docteur Fabricius

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Much of Koechlin's highly individual orchestral music remains unexplored: indeed, both works here are premiere recordings. Before he became a composer, Koechlin wanted to be an astronomer and... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Catalogue No: HAEN93106
Label: Hänssler
Length: 63 minutes

Koechlin: Vers la voûte étoilée

Work length12:41

$3.00

$3.85

Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
Heinz Holliger

Koechlin: Le Docteur Fabricius, Op. 202

Work length51:03

$16.00

$20.80

Christine Simonin
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR
Heinz Holliger

Le Manoir

Track length5:06

$1.00

$1.30

La douleur. Choral I

Track length1:57

$1.00

$1.30

La douleur. Choral II

Track length1:53

$1.00

$1.30

La douleur. Choral III

Track length2:16

$1.00

$1.30

La révolte. Allegro moderato

Track length0:42

$1.00

$1.30

La révolte. Reprise des thèmes de la douleur

Track length1:16

$1.00

$1.30

La révolte. Fugue

Track length0:47

$1.00

$1.30

La révolte. Rappel des thèmes de la douleur

Track length0:33

$1.00

$1.30

La révolte. Stretto de la fugue

Track length4:03

$1.00

$1.30

La révolte. Choral. Aus tiefer Noth

Track length2:41

$1.00

$1.30

Le ciel étoilé

Track length8:57

$2.00

$2.60

La Nature, la Vie, l'Espoir

Track length4:18

$1.00

$1.30

Réponse de l'homme

Track length4:39

$1.00

$1.30

La Joie

Track length6:52

$1.00

$1.30

Choral final

Track length5:03

$1.00

$1.30

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

Much of Koechlin's highly individual orchestral music remains unexplored: indeed, both works here are premiere recordings. Before he became a composer, Koechlin wanted to be an astronomer and his fascination with the 'starry firmament', and the dream-world it evoked, is sensuously created in the arch-like structure of Vers la voûteétoilée ('Towards the vault of stars'). Written in the early 1920s and revised in 1939, this demonstrates the composer's exotic sound-world in a nocturnal piece that doesn't outstay its welcome.
The stars in the heavens return in Le DocteurFabricius, written 1941-4, a more ambitious, large-scale symphonic poem with a philosophical underlay, based on a short story by the composer's uncle. The narrative describes a visit to the mysterious house in which the nihilistic Doctor Fabricius has cut himself off from the world.
After an austere opening, dolorous chorales symbolise the philosophical disillusion, interrupted by a strident, fugal revolt and interwoven with moments of sadness. A powerfully scored chorale suggests that human hope always re-emerges.
The visitor looks out to the starry firmament (the ondes martenot-rich scoring suggests Messiaen) and then, in a passage of radiant exultation, the spirit of Ravel hovers over the music to evoke the consolation of Nature. After an explosion of joy the music returns to the serene, withdrawn evocation of the opening.
Koechlin's powers as an orchestrator ensure his vision is powerfully communicated. Heinz Holliger is very much at home here, and the Stuttgart Radio orchestra play most responsively.
The recording is full and atmospheric, though one ideally needs a more voluptuous ambience. But this is well worth trying.

Koechlin: Le Docteur Fabricius

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