Turbulent Heart

28/10/2009
William Yeoman
The West Australian

French romantic composer Louis Vierne’s posthumous fame rests chiefly on his works for organ, on which instrument he was a virtuoso performer. The four sumptuous symphonic poems for voice and orchestra recorded here for the first time — Psyché, Les Djinns, Eros and Ballade du désespéré — show just how great a symphonic composer he could be as well. Also included is Ernest Chausson’s famous Poème de l’amour et de la mer in a world premiere recording for tenor, the voice for which it was originally written. Australian tenor Steve Davislim proves as eloquent an interpreter of French song as he is of the songs of Richard Strauss, Britten and Schubert, while young French conductor Guillaume Tourniaire draws splendid performances from The Queensland Orchestra. CD of the Week.