Description

POL HENRI PLANÇON (FUMAY, FRANCE, 12 JUNE, 1851 – PARIS, FRANCE, 11 AUGUST, 1914)

 

 

 

 

Pol Henri Plançon was a distinguished French operatic bass (basse chantante). He was one of the most acclaimed singers active during the 1880s, 1890s and early 20th century—a period often referred to as the “Golden Age of Opera”. In addition to being among the earliest international opera stars to have made recordings, he was a versatile singer who performed roles ranging from Sarastro in Mozart’s The Magic Flute of 1791 through to core bass parts composed in the 19th century by Meyerbeer, Gounod, Verdi and Wagner, among others. He was renowned for his exquisite legato singing as well as for his crisp diction, limpid tone, precise intonation, and virtuosic mastery of ornaments and fioriture. While not huge, his voice was of penetrating character, making a consistently positive impression in such large theatres as the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. It always moved with exemplary suppleness, allowing him to execute flawless trills and rapid scale passages with remarkable precision and suavity. Plancon was born in Fumay in the Ardennes département of France, near the Belgian border, on the 12 June 1851. “Pol” is a pet form of Paul. He was a distinguished French operatic bass singer who studied with Duprez and Sbriglia in Paris, made his debut in Lyons in 1877, and later worked in Paris, London and New York. He was renowned for his exquisite legato singing as well as for his crisp diction, limpid tone, precise intonation, and virtuosic mastery of ornaments and fioriture. While not huge, his voice was of penetrating character, making a consistently positive impression in such large theatres as the Metropolitan Opera House, New York. He was renowned for his interpretation of Mephistopheles in Charles Gounod’s Faust. Upon his return to Paris at the age of 57, he retired from the stage while still in excellent voice, although his top notes had begun to weaken. He occupied himself by giving lessons to select pupils. He died on 11 August 1914.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Au pays bleu (Chaminade) 2-32910 3900b G&T, London 1903-06-13

Caïd (Thomas) Air du Tambour-Major 2-2664 1923b G&T, London 1902

Carmen (Bizet) Air du Toréador 2-2667 1938b G&T, London 1902

Embarquez-vous (Godard) 2-2717 2203b G&T, London 1902

En route (Wanderlied) (Schumann) 2-32918 3902b G&T, London 1903-06-13

Faust (Gounod) Le veau d’or 2-668 1939b G&T, London 1902

Faust (Gounod) Sérénade 2-2663 1924b G&T, London 1902

Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Piff, paff, pouff 2-2661 1936b G&T, London 1902

Le lazzarone (Ferrari) 2-32911 3901b G&T, London 1903-06-13

Le soupir (Bemberg) 2-32909 3898b G&T, London 1903-06-13

Les deux grenadiers (Schumann) 2-2662 1925b G&T, London 1902

Les rameaux (Faure) 2-2665 1922b G&T, London 1902

Philémon et Baucis (Gounod) Au bruit 2-2666 1921b G&T, London 1902

Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Air de Capulet 2-2660 1937b G&T, London 1902

 

Carmen (Bizet) Chanson du Toréador X-2064 Zonophone, Paris 1902-0912

Faust (Gounod) Le veau d’or X-2063 Zonophone, Paris 1902-0912

Faust (Gounod) Vous qui faites l’endormie X-2062 Zonophone, Paris 1902-0912

Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Piff, paff, pouff X-2061 Zonophone, Paris 1902-0912

Les rameaux (Faure) X-2065 Zonophone, Paris 1902-0912

Philémon et Baucis (Gounod) Couplets de Vulcain X-2066 Zonophone, Paris 1902-0912

 

Caïd (Thomas) Air du Tambour-Major 85019 C873-1 Victor, 1903-12-23

Caïd (Thomas) Enfin chéri (Air du Tambour-Major) 85119 C3030-2(!) Victor, 1907-03-27

Caïd (Thomas) Enfin chéri (Air du Tambour-major) 88034 C3030 Victor, 1906-03-14

Châlet (Adam) Vallons de l’Helvétie 81037 B1050 Victor, 1904-02-27

Credo (Faure) 81066 B2339-1 Victor, 1905-02-25

Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Devant la maison 81034 B874 Victor, 1904-01-29

Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Une puce gentille 81087 B4345 Victor, 1907-03-27

Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) Voici des roses 85117 C4344-1 Victor, 1907-03-27

Don Carlo (Verdi) Oui je suis… Je dormirai dans mon manteau royal 85116 C4343 Victor, 1907-03-27

Embarquez-vous (Godard) 81039 B1052 Victor, 1904-02-27

Étoile du Nord (meyerbeer) O jours heureux 85124 C6111-2 Victor, 1908-04-14

Faust (Gounod) Alerte! Alerte! (w. Eames & Dalmores) 95300 C4332 Victor, 1907-03-25

Faust (Gounod) Le veau d’or 81038 B1051 Victor, 1904-02-27

Faust (Gounod) Vous qui faites l’endormie 81040 B992 Victor, 1904-01-29

Faust (Gounod) Vous qui faites l’endormie 85100 C3023 Victor, 1906-01-23

Jahreszeiten (Haydn) Chant du Laboureur 85082 C2321 Victor, 1905-02-20

Jésus de Nazareth (Gounod) 85065 C2322 Victor, 1905-02-20

Le Cor (Flégier) 85076 C2336 Victor, 1905-02-25

Le Filibustier (Georges) 85066 C 2323-1 Victor, 1905-02-20

Le Lac (Niedermeyer) 85023 C989 Victor, 1904-02-27

Le Lazzarone (Ferrari) 85066 C2323-1 Victor, 1905-02-20

Le Soupir (Bemberg) 81073 B2335 Victor, 1905-02-25

Le Vallon (Gounod) 85064 C2319-1 Victor, 1905-02-20

Les deux grenadiers (Schumann) 85024 C993-2 Victor, 1904-02-27

Les rameaux (Faure) 85020 C872-1 Victor, 1903-12-23

Martha (Flotow) Chi mi dirà 81086 B4346-1 Victor, 1907-03-27

Mignon (Thomas) Ninna nanna 85126 C6112-2 Victor, 1908-04-14

Noël (Adam) 81023 B871 Victor, 1903-12-2

Noël (Adam) 85099 C3029-1 Victor, 1906-01-23

Pardon de Ploërmel (Dinorah) (Meyerbeer) En chasse 81065 B2338-1 Victor, 1905-02-25

Philémon et Baucis (Gounod) Au bruit des lourds 81056 B2200 Victor, 1905-01-24

Robert le diable (Meyerbeer) Nonnes qui réposez 85125 C6110 Victor, 1908-04-14

Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Allons! Jeunes gens 81035 B990 Victor, 1904-01-29

Si tu veux, Mignonne (Massenet) 81076 B2320 Victor, 1905-02-20

Sonnambula (Bellini) Il mulino… Vi ravviso 85018 C870 Victor, 1903-12-23

Stabat Mater (Rossini) Pro peccatis 052218 C6113-1 Victor, 1908-04-14

Stabat Mater (Rossini) Pro peccatis 81033 B991 Victor, 1904-01-29

Zauberflöte (Mozart) Possenti Numi (Invocation) 85042 C2201-1 Victor, 1905-01-24

Zauberflöte (Mozart) Qui sdegno 85077 C2337-1 Victor, 1905-02-25