GÉRARD SOUZAY emerged after the Second World War as the leading exponent of mélodies, the art of French song, in succession to Charles Panzéra and Pierre Bernac, the latter a father-figure to the young baritone. That art, wonderfully exemplified by Souzay, was based on a secure line, mellow tone and — above all — a peculiarly idiomatic style with the texts.
Word soon reached Britain of his prowess, and he became as much a favourite with vocal connoisseurs here as he was in France. He also sang with distinction in concert, but his operatic career was fitful. His acting ability was uncertain: he was much happier on his own in recital.His instinctive empathy with the music lent his readings their singular power to touch listeners, and his platform manner exuded Gallic charm. He always exhibited a close rapport with his pianist partners.
Souzay was born Gérard Tisserand at Angers into a musical family. His father was a cellist, his two brothers and a sister singers. His sister also took up a professional career under the name Geneviève Touraine, and recorded duets with her brother. Souzay was a pianist to start with, and at university studied philosophy. Bernac heard him sing and, discerning a talent, urged him to train his voice.
In 1940 Souzay entered the Paris Conservatoire, where he won several prizes before he graduated. Bernac gave him lessons privately, and the two established a rare rapport. He was also taught by another noted interpreter of mélodies, Claire Croiza. When the war was over he made his first public appearance, at the age of 27.
His early recitals were greatly impressive; those in Britain received rave reviews. The basis of his increasing popularity was his naturally produced, slightly vibrant and typically French timbre. He had an innate sensibility and an unfailing sense of the appropriate style for the song he was performing, along with a very urbane and poetic delivery. This was evident on his earliest recordings for the small French label Bo îte à Musique.
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Soon he was signed up by Decca for whom he undoubtedly made his best recordings, although the artist never agreed with this. They include particularly agreeable and thoughtful interpretations of Duparc, Fauré, Ravel, Debussy and Poulenc (the last-named rivalling those of Bernac who sang them with the composer). Souzay was also a notable proponent of Lieder. His recordings of Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin cycle and Schumann’s Dichterliebe remain among the most desirable in a competitive field. But here he was inevitably compared, often to his detriment, with Fischer-Dieskau. He worked at first with Jacqueline Bonneau, then with Dalton Baldwin, with whom he rerecorded much of his repertory on the Philips label.
His operatic career was desultory, starting with a performance as Dido in Purcell’s opera at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. Stokowski then asked him to sing Monteverdi’s Orfeo at the New York City Opera in 1960. He first undertook Golaud in Pelléas et Mélisande, probably his best part, at Rome in 1962, about the time he recorded it for EMI, with Los Angeles as Mélisande. Don Giovanni at Paris followed in 1965, the year of his ill-fated one-night-stand at Glyndebourne as Count Almaviva in a new production of Figaro. After an uncertain first night, he had a crise de nerves, and fled back to France, never to sing opera in England again, though he appeared in concert as the Father in Berlioz’s L’enfant du Christ.
Souzay was such a scrupulous artist that he was seldom satisfied with his own work, making him a tetchy colleague and companion. For years, in the BBC Record Library, there was a note banning the use of his early discs on the express wishes of Souzay, an interdict sensibly ignored by producers. He thought his later performances were preferable, not a view shared by music critics.
He went on giving recitals rather too long, appearing at the Wigmore Hall on his 70th birthday. In his later years he was rather a sad figure, living in the South of France and feeling forgotten. Posterity, however, will give a favourable verdict on his refined and persuasive art.
He was unmarried. He is survived by his partner of more than thirty years.
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Gérard Souzay, French baritone, was born on December 8, 1918. He died on August 17, 2004, aged 85.