Hugues Cuénod - A Discography (original) (raw)

This is an "under construction" and for now a relatively complete discography of Hugues Cuénod; details will be added and inaccuracies corrected when known.

Biography:
A short biography will be written in a near future, but here is a press release by Bradley S. Klapper, Associated Press writer, for Cuenod's 105th birthday:

Tenor Cuenod, 105, Credits Small Voice
Hugues Cuenod, the oldest singer ever to debut at the Metropolitan Opera, celebrates his 105th birthday Tuesday with a message to his younger colleagues: Don't shout.
Cuenod, until recently the world's oldest active opera performer, was known throughout his seven-decade career for his acting and a light, natural tenor that he applied to everything from Monteverdi to Puccini. But his chords were still strong enough at 84 to project across the Met as the emperor in Turandot. He performed other roles elsewhere into his 90s.
"I always had a small voice," Cuenod said Monday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "With this voice, I really loved to sing small things in big theaters, rather than big things in small theaters."
Cuenod, speaking in English and his native French, recounted his 1951 debut at Milan's La Scala and his first performances three years later at London's Royal Opera. A veteran of over 400 performances at the Glyndebourne festival in Britain, he credited his longevity to an ability to express feelings in soft tones, the only ways he claimed he could.
"I didn't shout or scream," Cuenod said from the Chateau de Lully, the 18th-century castle of his ancestors he shares with his 64-year-old partner, Alfred Augustin. The two registered their partnership earlier this year after a Swiss law enabled same-sex unions to receive similar benefits as married couples.
Born in 1902 in the Swiss village of Corseaux-sur-Vevey overlooking Lake Geneva, Hugues Adhemar Cuenod received a French and German musical education in Basel and Vienna.
He made his operatic debut in 1928 in Paris' Theatre des Champs-Elysees, singing in Krenek's "Jonny spielt auf." Known for his ability to incorporate difficult character roles, he then sang in Noel Coward's operetta "Bitter Sweet" in London and New York and made a name for himself in the 1930s under French composer Nadia Boulanger.
More concerts in Paris and North America followed before Cuenod resumed his operatic career in a 1943 Geneva production of Johann Strauss Jr.'s "Die Fledermaus". He started his Glyndebourne run in 1954 and performed until the mid-1990s, when at 92 he still sang "in perfect style" Triquet's verses of tribute to Tatyana in Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," according to an Opera News review.
Cuenod's voice also was particularly effective in the early opera works of Monteverdi and Cavalli. His high, light tenor can be heard on many recordings, including a DVD version of Franco Zeffirelli's 1987 staging of "Turandot" at the Met, which was conducted by James Levine and starred Eva Marton and Placido Domingo.
Asked whether he had any particularly fond memories, Cuenod recalled the world premiere of Stravinsky's "The Rake's Progress" at Venice's La Fenice in 1951, where he created the role of the mysterious auctioneer Sellem, who conducts the bidding on the main character's goods and wife.
"I remember when (Elisabeth) Schwarzkopf sang and I remember the room," Cuenod said, referring to the soprano who died last year in Austria. "I had a smaller part, but a very good one."
Cuenod said he was in good health, even if his singing career was over, but added that he had nothing special planned for his birthday. "I will probably stay in bed," he said.

Explanation about this discography:
This discography is divided in 3 parts:
I. Original recordings: This list, by date of recording (or presumably so), contains all original releases known to the author of the discography, no matter if the content is totally or only partly dedicated to the performer. A sequential number is attributed; when an original recording includes different recording date, a sequential number is attributed to the first original recording, none to others. This part is divided in 2 sections:
I-A: Vocal and Choral works
I-B: Stage works
In linked section (mostly early music & baroque recordings), the reader will find all re-issues with the same content whatever the media that was released. If there is no link, reissues are listed in the discography
II. Compilations: A release containing only material totally included in more than one release listed in I., or mixed with unrelated excerpts of other performers
III. Selections: any excerpts of an original recording, mixed with unrelated excerpts of other performers, or an abridged (highlights) version of an original recording.

1935

  1. Trad..: Ride on Moses – O Lord What a mornin'
    Hugues Cuénod, arr. & acc.
    Rec.: Studio Albert, Paris, France [04/16/1935, 04/18/1935]
    Gramophone – La Voix de son Maítre K7551 (Mx: OLA 442 / OLA 464) [78rpm, 25cm]
  2. Trad..: Swing low – Listen to de lams – Little David
    Hugues Cuénod, arr. & acc.
    Rec.: Studio Albert, Paris, France [04/16/1935]
    _Gramophone – La Voix de son Maítre K 7557 (Mx: OLA 439 / OLA 440 / OLA 441)_[78rpm 25cm]

Trad..: Steal away
Hugues Cuénod, arr. & acc.
Rec.: Studio Albert, Paris, France [04/18/1935]
_Gramophone – La Voix de son Maítre (Unissued) (Mx: OLA 463)_[78rpm]

1936

1937

Jean Françaix: Trois Chansons
Hugues Cuénod (tenor), Pierre Peht (piano)
Rec.: Studio Albert, Paris, France [02/25/1937]
_Gramophone – La Voix de son Maítre (Unissued) (Mx: OLA 1561)_[78rpm]

1938

1939

1940-1949 (?)

1941 or prior

1947

1948

1949

Hugues Cuénod - Inédits 1948-1965: Clérambault, Preger, L. Boulanger, Casadesus, von Weber, Priaulx, Debussy, Liebermann
Hugues Cuénod et al.
Rec.: 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1965
Cascavelle RSR 6158 [CD]

1950

1951

1952

1953

1954

Hugues Cuénod - Inédits 1948-1965: Clérambault, Preger, L. Boulanger, Casadesus, von Weber, Priaulx, Debussy, Liebermann
Hugues Cuénod et al.
Rec.: 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1965
Cascavelle RSR 6158 [CD]

1955

Hugues Cuénod - Inédits 1948-1965: Clérambault, Preger, L. Boulanger, Casadesus, von Weber, Priaulx, Debussy, Liebermann
Hugues Cuénod et al.
Rec.: 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1965
Cascavelle RSR 6158 [CD]

1957

Hugues Cuénod - Inédits 1948-1965: Clérambault, Preger, L. Boulanger, Casadesus, von Weber, Priaulx, Debussy, Liebermann
Hugues Cuénod et al.
Rec.: 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1965
Cascavelle RSR 6158 [CD]

1958

Hugues Cuénod - Inédits 1948-1965: Clérambault, Preger, L. Boulanger, Casadesus, von Weber, Priaulx, Debussy, Liebermann
Hugues Cuénod et al.
Rec.: 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1965
Cascavelle RSR 6158 [CD]

1959

1960

1962

1963

1964

1965

Hugues Cuénod - Inédits 1948-1965: Clérambault, Preger, L. Boulanger, Casadesus, von Weber, Priaulx, Debussy, Liebermann
Hugues Cuénod et al.
Rec.: 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1965
Cascavelle RSR 6158 [CD]

1966

1967

197..

1971 or prior

1971

1972

1973

Hugues Cuénod: Mélodies
Gabriel Fauré - Henri Duparc
Hugues Cuénod, Martin Isepp, Geoffrey Parsons
Rec.: 1972 / 1973 / 1978
Nimbus NI 5736 / 37 [CDx2] (2004)

1976

Hugues Cuénod
H. Cuénod, J. Cohen, R. Dobos
Rec.: 08/07/1960, 05/28/1976, 02/1980
INA "Mémoire Vive" 262 020 [CD] (1995)

1977

1978

Hugues Cuénod: Mélodies
Gabriel Fauré - Henri Duparc
Hugues Cuénod, Martin Isepp, Geoffrey Parsons
Rec.: 1972 / 1973 / 1978
Nimbus NI 5736 / 37 [CDx2] (2004)

1980

Hugues Cuénod
H. Cuénod, J. Cohen, R. Dobos
Rec.: 08/07/1960, 05/28/1976, 02/1980
INA "Mémoire Vive" 262 020 [CD]

Claudio Monteverdi - 10 Madrigaux pour 1, 2, 3 voix et continuo
Ensemble Baroque de Lausanne
Rec.; 1967 or prior
Erato "Musique - 25" MUS 19025 [LP]

1982

1985

1991

1994

1997

2000

2001

Henri Sauguet: Inédits (incl. Aria d'Eduardo Poeta (1934))
Various performers
INA "Mémoire Vive" IMV 043 [CD]

2002

I. Original Recordings

I-B: Stage works

1941

1948

1951

1952

1954

1955

1956

1957

1963

1964

1968

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1976

1977

1982/1984

1983

1987

unknown

Igor Stravinsky: Petrushka / Les Noces
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Ernest Ansermet, cond.; B. Retchitzka, L. Devallier, H. Cuŕnod, H. Rehfuss
Decca "Ace of Diamonds" SDD 240 [LP]

1950

1953

1958

Johann Sebastian Bach: Geistlicher Lieder, Vol. 1 - Numbers 1-19
Rössel-Majdan, Cuénod, Holetschek, Harand
Westminster XWN 18386 [LP, mono]

Johann Sebastian Bach: Geistlicher Lieder, Vol. 2 - Numbers 20-38
Rössel-Majdan, Cuénod, Holetschek, Harand
Westminster XWN 18387 [LP, mono]

Johann Sebastian Bach: Geistlicher Lieder, Vol. 3 - Numbers 39-57
Rössel-Majdan, Cuénod, Holetschek, Harand
Westminster XWN 18388 [LP, mono]

Johann Sebastian Bach: Geistlicher Lieder, Vol. 4 - Numbers 57-75
Rössel-Majdan, Cuénod, Holetschek, Harand
Westminster XWN 18389 [LP, mono]

1967

Wolfgang-Amadeus Mozart: The magic flute: K. 620 - Eine kleine Freimaurerkantate, K. 623 - Lasst uns mit verschlungen Händen, K. 623a
Various performers, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Sir Thomas Beecham, cond. / Oratorio Chorus of Mulhouse; Pro Musica Orchestra - J. V. Meyer, cond.
Rec.: 1937; 09/1950
Turnabout TV 4111 [LPx3]

1972

Jacques Offenbach: Hoffmans Erzählungen - Arien und Szenen
Various performers, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Richard Bonynge, dir.
Rec.: 08-09/1971
Decca 6.41626 [LP]

1985

Les 100 plus grands enregistrements de tous les temps
Landowska, Boulanger et al.
Franklin Mint Records Society "Prestige musical" 67 / 68 [LPx2]

1990

Jacques Offenbach: The Tales of Hoffmann - Les contes d'Hoffmann (Highlights)
Various performers, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Richard Bonynge, dir.
Rec.: 08-09/1971
Decca 421 866-4 [Cass.]
Decca 421 866-2 [CD]
Decca 2894 21.866-2 [CD]
Decca 458 234-2 [CD]
Decca "Les cent classiques - 61" 452 646-2 [CD]

1992

Prima Voce Party: Songs of Delanoy, Fontenailles, Mendelssohn, Moszkowsky, Zeller, Rimsky-Korssakoff, Strauss, Tschaikowsky, Arditi, Heuberger
Cuénod, Ponselle, Tauber, Korjus, Gigli, Schumann, Schipa, Galli-Curci, Schmidt, Koshetz, Robeson, Coward, McCormack, Melba, Caruso, Onegin, Kipnis, Teyte, Groh, Marchesi
Nimbus "Prima Voce" NI 7839-2 [CD]

Maurice Ravel: L'enfant et les Sortilèges / Claude Debussy: Le martyre de Saint Sébastien / Maurice Ravel: L'heure espagnole
H. Cuénod, S. Danco et al., Orchestre de la Suisse romande - Ernest Ansermet, dir.
Rec.: 10/1954, 06/1954, 04/1953
_Decca "Historic" 433 400-2 (CD: 433401-2 / 2-2)_[CDx2]
Decca "Rouge Opéra" 458 716-2 [CDx2]
Cantus Classics 5.00662 [CDx2]

1993

Bach, Purcell, Haendel, Vivaldi et d'autres grands compositeurs: Splendeurs du baroque. Les plus belles pages de la musique baroque
Various performers
Rec.: 1967 - 1985
Erato 4509-92877-2 (Set) [CDx2]

1994

Igor Stravinsky - Ballets: L'oiseau de feu, Le sacre de printemps, Petrushka, Les noces
Various performers, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Ernest Ansermet, dir.
Rel.: 1958 / 1958 / 1958 / 1961
Decca 443 500-2 [CDx2]
Decca 443 467-2 [CDx2]

Igor Stravinsky: Ballets; Stage works; Orchestral works
Various performers, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande - Ernest Ansermet, dir.
Rel.: 1955 - 1965
Decca 467 818-2 [CDx8]

1996

Ernest Ansermet Edition
Stravinsky
Rec.: 1955- 1964
London POCL-9605/12 [CDx12]

1999

Jacques Offenbach: Les contes d'Hoffmann (excerpts) & Léo Delibes: Lakmé (excerpts)
Rec.: 1971 / 1967
Joan Sutherland et al.
Decca 440 436-2 [CDx2]

Hommage à / A Tribute to Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger et al.
Cascavelle VEL 3081 [CDx2]

Émile Berlioz: The complete operas
Various performers, Chorus of the Royal opera house, Covent Garden, B.B.C. Symphony orchestra - Colin Davis, dir. et al.
Philips 456387-2 [CDx9]

Johannes Brahms: Walzer & Lieberslieder-Walzer
Various performers
EMI classics 7243 5 66425-2 2 [CD]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Les noces de Figaro, Opéra bouffe en 4 actes
T. Stich-Randall, R. Streich, P. Lorengar, Hugues Cuénod, et al., Orchestre de la société des concerts du Conservatoire - Hans Rosbaud, dir. with Choeurs du Conservatoire de Paris
Rec.: July 1955
EMI classics 5721952 [CDx5]