Customer Reviews

French Chansons

5 star:		(3)
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The Scholars of London are one of the world's most beloved musical treasures. French Chansons is a wonderful collection of aural majesty that sometimes seems to reach perfection. Ausch, Amps, Doveton, and Davidson are truly gifted beyond words. The harmony within these songs will take the listener aloft and set them gently on Earth again-- French texts brought alive by four of the most wonderful voices the world has ever known.

This is an excellent recording - especially for only seven dollars! My only quibble is is that some of the selections, such as Jannequin's "Le chant des oiseaux" and Passareau's "Il est bel et bon" are a little tiresome the second or third time around. And one catches some vocal strain here and there, but only rarely. One interesting thing, if you're into obscure twentieth-century British composers, is that the melody of "Belle qui tiens ma vie" (track 15) was used, very prettily, by Philip Heseltine, aka Peter Warlock, in his Capriol Suite.

BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL OUR MADRIGAL GROUP SANG "LE CHANT DES OISEAUX." MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO PREFER ITALIAN MADRIGALS; BY FAR, FRENCH CHANSONS ARE THE REAL GEMS. THIS CD SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY VENUE FOR SOME OF THE COMPOSERS IN THIS COLLECTION. IT IS HARD TO FIND OTHER RECORDINGS OF CHANSONS BY CLEMENT JANNEQUIN AND CLAUDIN de SERMISY, FOR EXAMPLE. THIS CD IS AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE!