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"French love songs from three centuries, interspersed with reflective lute solos," reads the publicity for this 2023 release by mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre and lutenist Thomas Dunford. That is true enough, but it hardly begins to scratch the surface. The French love songs are an eminently varied group, ranging from 17th century chansons through the late Romantic era, all the way up to popular songs by Françoise Hardy and contemporary French chanteuse Barbara. A good-sized share of the credit goes to Dunford, who keeps up with all the stylistic changes here and generates a striking range of sounds from the lute. Hear the vaguely electric guitar low notes in, especially, one of the Hardy songs, Le temps de l'amour. Even more varied is Desandre herself, who is emerging as a major star; this album is going to do nothing to slow the process down. Her voice sounds almost colorless when it is in its basic mode, quiet and with little vibrato or expression. However, other layers come out almost immediately after a song begins, and she is in complete control of the hugely varied material here, delivering distinctive styles in the Renaissance pieces, the Baroque cantatas by Charpentier, the Romantic songs, and the pop compositions. At the end, one has the feeling of having traversed a huge distance with just one singer and a lute. An extraordinary performance, enhanced by Erato's engineering at the La Chaux de Fonds auditorium in Switzerland.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist - Honoré d’Ambruys, Composer
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Reynaldo Hahn, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Jacques Dutronc, Composer - André Salvet, Poet - Lucien Morisse, Poet - Thomas Dunford, Vocals, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Erik Satie, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
ANDRE MESSAGER, Composer - Sacha Guitry, Poet - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Erik Satie, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Michel Lambert, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Reynaldo Hahn, Composer - Théophile De Viau, Poet - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Robert de Visée, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Frank Gerald, Poet - JEAN RENARD, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Sebastien le Camus, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Claude Debussy, Composer - Maurice Maeterlinck, Poet - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Michel Lambert, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Michel Lambert, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Robert de Visée, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Barbara, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Sebastien le Camus, Composer - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Jacques Offenbach, Composer - Henri Meilhac, Poet - Ludovic Halevy, Poet - Thomas Dunford, Theorbo, MainArtist - Lea Desandre, Soprano Vocals, MainArtist
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
Album review
"French love songs from three centuries, interspersed with reflective lute solos," reads the publicity for this 2023 release by mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre and lutenist Thomas Dunford. That is true enough, but it hardly begins to scratch the surface. The French love songs are an eminently varied group, ranging from 17th century chansons through the late Romantic era, all the way up to popular songs by Françoise Hardy and contemporary French chanteuse Barbara. A good-sized share of the credit goes to Dunford, who keeps up with all the stylistic changes here and generates a striking range of sounds from the lute. Hear the vaguely electric guitar low notes in, especially, one of the Hardy songs, Le temps de l'amour. Even more varied is Desandre herself, who is emerging as a major star; this album is going to do nothing to slow the process down. Her voice sounds almost colorless when it is in its basic mode, quiet and with little vibrato or expression. However, other layers come out almost immediately after a song begins, and she is in complete control of the hugely varied material here, delivering distinctive styles in the Renaissance pieces, the Baroque cantatas by Charpentier, the Romantic songs, and the pop compositions. At the end, one has the feeling of having traversed a huge distance with just one singer and a lute. An extraordinary performance, enhanced by Erato's engineering at the La Chaux de Fonds auditorium in Switzerland.
© James Manheim /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 22 track(s)
- Total length: 01:04:28
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Lea Desandre Thomas Dunford
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Warner Classics
- Genre: Classical
A Warner Classics release, © 2023 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics release, ℗ 2023 Parlophone Records Limited
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