Having celebrated a 25th wedding anniversary in a stone cottage in the Auvergne, France, in 2005, when I saw that Sally-Anne Russell, leading Australian mezzo-soprano, was to sing Joseph Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne at the Ballarat Festival of Organ and Fine Music, I had to attend!
This work has been a longtime favourite as these beautiful country folk songs, collected in the pastoral village area west of Lyons, have been embellished with lush musical interludes by Canteloube, bringing this picturesque landscape to life. The work was composed between 1923 and1954.
Sung in French dialect (Occitan) this work weaves stories from provincial France of shepherds and shepherdesses out in the fields and woods.
Hearing these performed in concert by Sally-Anne was a reminiscence of times past and a treat for the senses. Her ability to create the character of the different folk songs was uniquely suited to transport one to the French pastoral scene. Her velvet voice suited the surreal endless song lines and added class to these captivating folk melodies.
Twenty-two of the thirty songs written by Canteloube were presented in concert, and due to the dialect of French they were sung in, it was useful to have English translations provided. The “Bailero” is a favourite that is frequently heard. It depicts a shepherd across a river tending his flock but wishing to be with the shepherdess over the other side. Sally-Anne’s singing in full voice added much to the seductive entreaty in this song.
Of note was ‘Tchut, Tchut” where Sally-Anne captured the playfulness of the shepherd preferring kissing his paramour rather than attending to his work. It harks back to “Lo Fiolairé” (The spinner) and the charming “liro lirou la” with its pleasing folk ululation.
Songs of the Avergne reveals a cavalcade of characters, and plenty of dramas are revealed from different personalities of the region; amongst them pretty girls and men of Limousin, a mother crooning a lullaby and even a hunchback dealing with rejection in “Lou boussu”. The birds of the forest naturally added to the scene with charming presentations in “Lo calhe” (The quail) and “Lou coucut” (The cuckoo). The latter has the cuckoo call in the underlying accompaniment. A chivalrous knight even compared his love to a nightingale when begging the shepherdess to share an hour with him in “La pastrouletta e lou chibalie”.
I particularly enjoyed the rendition of “Tè, l’co tè” (Here, dog here) sharing the problem of dealing with a dog bringing in a herd of cattle. It seemed that other dog owners could relate to this song judging by the audience applause from the Ballarat crowd!
“Per l’Efan” gave the concert a gentle finalé with a child nicknamed “naughty pussycat” trying to resist sleep.
Sally-Anne is to be commended for her warm legato singing and heart-melting sound with a subtle cheekiness where required to bring out so effectively the drama of the ordinary that was life in the Auvergne. Her ability to convey these stories so convincingly in Occitan dialect was most impressive.
Her accompanist, Dr Anthony Halliday, is to be congratulated for so successfully transferring the piano score to the organ. He was able to achieve some of the beautiful sound colours that only a full orchestra is capable of. Halliday adeptly moved between the organ and the piano, and I admired his choice of organ stops and the occasional brilliant runs and glissandos in the rippling pinao part.
Fortunately, Victorians have the opportunity to hear and see Sally-Anne Russell and Anthony Halliday when they repeat this concert at the Brunswick Beethoven Festival, Concert 4 on Saturday, February 8 at 8 pm.
Part of the joy of attending the Ballarat Organ and Fine Music festivals are the closing concerts at St Patrick’s Cathedral. This year, we heard JS Bach’s Cantatas BWV 99, 117, 182, Organ Sinfonia from Cantata BWV 35 and Motet BWV 225.
This was a glorious finish to the festival provided by the Melbourne Baroque Orchestra with conductor Gary Ekkels, the choir Alchemy, and soloists Quin Thomson, Matthew Thomson, Daniel Thomson, Louisa Hunter-Bradley, Grantley McDonald, Paul Bentley-Angell and Matthew Champion.
I particularly enjoyed David Mcfarlane’s organ solo in Cantatas BWV 35.
Moving the choir to the front of the instrumentalists for the final work, the motet “Singt dem Herrn” enabled a rousing finish to what has clearly been a great festival.
Photo supplied.
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Janet Bagnall reviewed “Songs of the Auvergne”, presented as part of The Ballarat Festival of Organ and Fine Music at Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts on January 14, 2025.
