Henri Duparc, José van Dam - Les Mélodies

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Review by Maria Borges

Les Mélodies by Henri Duparc: A Dark, Haunting Masterpiece That Won’t Let You Go Alright, let’s cut the crap. If you’re into classical music but haven’t heard Les Mélodies by Henri Duparc, you’re missing out on something raw and unfiltered—like staring at a storm through a cracked window. Released in 1993 under Forlane (France), this album is no sugarcoated fluff; it’s an emotional gut-punch wrapped in Romantic-era vibes. José van Dam’s baritone vocals? They’ll knock your socks off. And Maciej Pikulski on piano? Dude knows how to make keys bleed. Now, I’m not gonna sit here and wax poetic about every track because life’s too short for that nonsense. But two tracks hit me like a freight train: “Chanson Triste” and “L’Invitation Au Voyage.” “Chanson Triste”? Holy hell, it’s devastating. The way Duparc builds tension with those sparse notes—it feels like walking alone at night, knowing someone’s watching you. Van Dam’s voice doesn’t just sing; it growls, pleads, breaks. You can feel the weight of whatever tragedy inspired this thing. It’s not sad—it’s suffocating. Like drowning in slow motion while fireworks explode overhead. Brutal stuff. Then there’s “L’Invitation Au Voyage,” which flips the script entirely. This one’s dreamy as hell, all shimmering hope and longing. Florence Bonnafous steps in for soprano duties here, and her voice floats above Pikulski’s cascading piano like sunlight hitting water. It’s hypnotic, man. One second you’re zoning out, the next you’re wondering if maybe paradise isn’t such a dumb idea after all. Look, I ain’t saying everything on this record is perfect. Some tracks drag a bit, sure. But when it works, it works. François Brillet’s editing keeps things tight, Jean-Marc Laisné’s engineering makes the sound crisp without losing warmth, and Philippe Simon’s liner notes give some context without boring you to tears. Kudos to Ivan Pastor for executive-producing this beast—it must’ve been a headache. Here’s the kicker though: listening to Les Mélodies feels less like entertainment and more like therapy. Or maybe confession. These songs don’t just exist—they haunt. They linger. Days later, you’ll catch yourself humming “Soupir” or replaying “La Vie Antérieure” in your head, wondering why you even bothered trying to move on from that toxic ex. So yeah, go listen to this album. Just don’t blame me if it ruins your mood—or changes your damn life. Who knew French dudes from the 1800s could still mess with your brain in the '90s? Weird world we live in.

Download Henri Duparc, José van Dam - Les Mélodies
Artist: Henri Duparc, José van Dam
Album: Les Mélodies
Rating: 3.0

Table of Contents

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Filename: henri-duparc-jos-van-dam-les-mlodies.zip
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Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
La Fuite3:21
Le Manoir De Rosemonde2:40
Testament3:51
Elegie3:02
Serenade2:35
Romance De Mignon4:46
La Vie Antérieure4:59
Serenade Florentine2:22
Lamento4:06
Chanson Triste3:07
La Vague Et La Cloche5:23
L'Invitation Au Voyage4:22
Soupir3:54
Le Galop3:03
Phidyle5:53
Au Pays Ou Se Fait La Guerre5:15
Extase3:30

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Catalog Numbers

UCD 16692

Labels

Forlane

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Formats

  • CD
  • Album

Companies

RoleCompany
Phonographic Copyright (p)UMIP
Manufactured ByMPO
Recorded AtLa Chartreuse de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
Distributed ByDom-Forlane
Edited AtStudio Résonance

Credits

RoleCredit
Baritone VocalsJosé van Dam
Composed ByHenri Duparc
DesignLabourasse
Edited ByFrançois Brillet
EngineerJean-Marc Laisné
Executive-ProducerIvan Pastor
Liner NotesPhilippe Simon
PianoMaciej Pikulski
Soprano VocalsFlorence Bonnafous (tracks: 15 to 17)

Notes

  • Recorded in Chartreuse Villeneuve-Lez-Avignon, France, January 1993.
  • José van Dam tribute to his master Frédéric Anspach.
  • Text of track 16 by Victor Wlder, adapted from Goethe.
  • ℗ UMIP France 1993. Made in France.
  • Comes with a 40-page booklet which includes liner notes and lyrics of all songs (poems) in French, English and German.
  • "Les 1ères Victoires de la Musique Classique 1994" on front cover.

Barcodes

  • Barcode: 3 399240 166926
  • Matrix / Runout: 16692 MPO 03 @ @
  • Price Code (France): COD 11
  • SPARS Code: DDD

About Henri Duparc, José van Dam

French composer of the late Romantic period, born January 21, 1848, in Paris, died February 12, 1933, in Mont-de-Marsan.

Real Name

    • Eugène Marie Henri Fouques Duparc

Name Vars

  • Duparc
  • H. Duparc
  • Henry Duparc
  • А. Дюпарк
  • Анри Дюпарк
  • ¢óêûÇåÑë¯
  • ÇåÑë¯

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: The album *Les Mélodies* by Henri Duparc, performed by José van Dam, is like a time capsule of Romantic-era emotion. It was released in 1993, but the music itself dates back to the 19th century. Fun fact—this album features not one but two vocalists! José van Dam’s rich baritone brings depth to most tracks, while Florence Bonnafous steps in with her soprano voice for a few special pieces. The piano accompaniment by Maciej Pikulski ties it all together beautifully. It’s like stepping into a Parisian salon from another era. And get this: the liner notes were written by Philippe Simon, adding even more context to this masterpiece. A true gem for classical music lovers!