Any release that broadens the range
of art song before the public immediately
arouses my interest. The idea of getting
twenty British composers to set French
texts might initially raise fears about
the love-hate relationship that supposedly
exists between the two nations. Nothing
could be further from the truth, and
this disc is much the stronger for it.
The listening experience
is interesting too; indeed one could
think of this as the musical equivalent
of twenty miniature images displayed
in a row. With each track you’re moved
along the line to something new. Each
is by its very nature a concentrated
experience as there’s no growing accustomed
to a continuity of style or technique.
What is each composer’s sensitivity
and approach to text like and which
takes primacy in performance, text or
music?
Then there’s the texts
... and the range of poets covered.
Here in this case are some of the true
greats. In one case there’s the opportunity
to compare two settings of the same
text.
The excellent booklet
includes full texts with translations
accompanied by composer and poet mini
profiles. We are told how the project
was borne out of the experience of these
artists performing Poulenc and Fauré
in 1999. Whilst only a couple of the
works presented here have anything approaching
the subtlety of response that those
great Frenchmen exhibit in their chansons,
they nonetheless offer adventure and
amusement that is amply rewarding. Indeed
it is often the more off-beat texts
that have the staying power: Beckett,
Crane and Satie - who else could make
a list of white foods bring a smile
to your face?
There is a tendency
here to explore vocal extremes, be it
in terms of range (Redgate) or intensity
of attack (Gorb). However, this is balanced
by the inner calm and reflectiveness
that others achieve. Tarik O’Regan’s
Mallarmé setting hasn’t failed
yet to draw me in and make me stop everything
to listen, so too McGuire and Jackson.
Others instil different reactions. Harrison
appears extract-like. Redgate takes
the song to the point of vocal abstraction.
Bingham has a slight indifference to
the text perhaps. Then there are the
gentle nods from one composer to another
artist: Jackson to Debussy and LeFanu
to Whistler.
Listening to the whole
disc at one sitting might be a touch
wearing, and quickly I adopted the pattern
of listening to smaller groups. As with
most intricately created miniatures
inevitably there were facets that revealed
themselves only on repeated visits.
Gradually preferred individual songs
and groups emerged. Groups of poets,
groups of tempi – alike and contrasting
– allowed for the creation of mini-recitals
drawn from the overall pool. For example,
I found the following particularly effective:
the contrast between Todd and Cowie
or the suitably questioning Roe against
Skempton’s lilting rhythms and natural
linguistic feeling.
Whilst Alison Smart
is set a tall order by the composers,
to my ears she makes a strong case for
these songs. Perhaps here and there
one regrets that a feel for the inner
music of the French language is sacrificed
a little so that a vocal high wire act
can be pulled off. But then that maybe
shows a composer’s lack of innate linguistic
affinity too. Katharine Durran offers
solid support throughout, her instrument
being recorded closely, but allowing
for a nice atmosphere to develop around
it – though it too can be insistent
when required by the likes of Bingham
or Fitkin.
Artistically enterprising
and uncompromising, with excellent production
values too, this Metier release is well
worth exploring.
Evan Dickerson