Déodat de Séverac is fairly well-known as the composer of some
wonderful piano music such as En Languedoc (1904), Cerdaña
(1911) and Le Chant de la terre (1900), which have been
regularly recorded although it is still all-too-rarely heard
in recital. His output also includes some short orchestral works,
songs for voice and orchestra such as Le Mirage (1903)
as well as incidental music and two large-scale ‘outdoor’ pageants
Fille de la Terre and Héliogabale. The latter
is a monumental work featuring song, dance and recitation and
was performed in the Arènes de Béziers in 1910. Incidentally,
some of his orchestral music with and without voices has been
recorded on Cascavelle RSR 6197, a disc that is well worth looking
out for. He also composed an opera based on a play Le Retour
by a young writer from Toulouse, Maurice Magre (1877–1941).
It seems that the composer and the writer were friends and that
the idea of composing an opera on Le Retour was planned
– and apparently partly completed – as early as 1901. During
1903, however, Magre and de Séverac reworked and expanded the
opera. At that time, too, it seems that the definitive title
of the opera was fixed. It was to be Le Coeur du Moulin
and was then entered at the music competition of the City of
Paris. Several musicians quickly showed some real interest in
the work, among them André Messager. After some later reworking
in 1905, it was played for Albert Carré, manager of the Opéra-Comique.
The first stage performances were planned for late 1906 but
Carré hesitated. In the meantime de Séverac further expanded
the work by adding some more scenes. It was eventually first
performed on 8 December 1909. The critics’ reactions were fairly
enthusiastic about the music while the libretto – fine as it
might be – was found to be slighted dated.
The synopsis is fairly simple. Jacques has left the village
years ago and his fiancée Marie has married Jacques’ friend
Pierre. She cannot help but feel guilty about what she considers
to be a betrayal. Jacques returns. He is greeted by the voices
of the Well and of the Mill and by the Voices of Nature. He
still loves Marie who has never stopped loving him. The couple
plan to leave the village for ever. However Marie confesses
that she has married Pierre. The harvesters return, Pierre among
them, after having worked in the vineyards. The old miller and
Jacques’ mother arrive from the village. The miller overhears
Marie vowing her love to Jacques. This concludes the first act.
In the second act, some time later in the day, the miller becomes
the key character for it is he who will determine the end of
the opera. The harvesters and people of the village set up a
feast to mark Jacques’ homecoming. When the feasting is over
Marie arrives at the old mill. The miller then realises the
real situation and Marie is forced to confess her plans to leave
the village for ever with Jacques. The miller tries to dissuade
Jacques from leaving with Marie and encourages him to go off
alone. Jacques is unwilling to do so and the miller then proposes
that Jacques’ mother should decide. The mother wants her son
to stay with her in the village but the miller reminds her that
everyone on earth must do what is right. The mother, the Voice
of the Well and the Voices of Nature try to entice him to stay,
but the Owl – the bird of wisdom – convinces Jacques that he
must carry on down the road. Four dream characters appear. They
are Jacques’ Childhood Memories who encourage him to go. “You
shall come back, but do your duty, in the name of your childhood.”
Jacques goes while the villagers are heard singing in the distance.
As already mentioned earlier in this review parts of the libretto
are slightly dated and at times artificial especially when the
Voice of the Mill, the Voice of the Well and the Voices of Nature
have their say. De Séverac, however, found in the words a splendid
opportunity to develop his music which is in turn warmly lyrical
and atmospheric when needed. Debussy, who was a staunch admirer
of de Séverac’s music, is never far away. There are many beautiful
orchestral moments in this wonderful score. Indeed, chorus and
orchestra very often appear to be the main protagonists. Although
he was a pupil of the sometimes rigid Vincent d’Indy, de Séverac
never shared his master’s dislike for more modern harmonies.
This is generously displayed in a score that also quotes folksongs
from Languedoc. These are often noticeable in the harvesters’
choruses and in the dances that open the second act. There are
too many fine things in this music to single them all out but
one of the most moving moments in the entire work is the short
quartet sung by the Childhood Memories near the end of the opera.
The present recording of this marvellous work has been carefully
prepared if one is to judge by the fine singing and playing
heard throughout. Soloists, chorus and orchestra obviously relish
every moment of this superb score and Jean-Yves Ossonce, whom
some of you may know for his very fine recording of Magnard’s
symphonies on Hyperion and for his recording of Ropartz’s opera
Le Pays on Timpani, conducts a superbly committed reading
of this neglected but highly rewarding opera. Incidentally I
was particularly delighted to hear Pierre-Yves Pruvot again,
who was one of the finalists of the 2000 Queen Elisabeth Competition.
Both recording and production are to be praised for they are
well up to Timpani’s best standards. Timpani too deserve our
gratitude for giving such fine music the wider exposure that
it definitely deserves.
Hubert Culot
Jean-Sébastien Bou (baritone) -Jacques; Sophie Marin-Degor (soprano)
- Marie; Pierre-Yves Pruvot (baritone) - The Miller; Marie-Thérèse
Keller (soprano) - The Mother 
