Customer Reviews

Vielles Chanson

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Actually these are 2 original Mouskouri's old french album compiled on 1 CD.As other reviewer wrote,this album really captures the French spirit with lots of feeling poured from these songs.Mouskouri's large part from her repertoire is her french songs & this album is one of her best studio efforts in this direction.Also ,I'd recommend on the "In Paris" album from 66,presently available only on Lps.

Nana Mouskouri gives us an intelligent and sensitive interpretation of old French songs. The songs are lyrical and in some cases, haunting. (I have played this music for teenagers who were also impressed and moved by it.)

Actually, it was Nana's rendition of "Pauvre Reutebeuf", which I heard on Karl Haas' Adventures in Good Music, that introduced me to Nana Mouskouri and made me an instant fan. Mr. Haas' point was that this music epitomizes the French spirit. It helps, but is not mandatory, to understand French to get the most out of this album. However the music is so powerful and honest that it transcends language. (Lyrics are included.) My life would be a lot poorer without this album.

I'd never even heard of Nana Mouskouri, but I like French music, so I purchased this CD. I found a beautiful voice and over an hour of lovely, richly interpreted songs. I'd never heard any of these tunes before, but I love almost every one. What a great sing-along album! The booklet contains all the lyrics, too. Mouskouri is the only singer I can think of who wears glasses on stage (well, besides Buddy Holly).

I have owned this album in vinyl, tape or cd form for more than 25 years. I first acquired it in the winter of '76-'77. I play it at least once a year. I have a great deal of Nana's music -- this is quite possibly the very best, especially for anyone who understands French.

I have treasured this CD. It's a great way to introduce the rich French repertoire of folk music to language learners. Her voice is heavenly and her rendition of these lilting ballads are a perfect match for each other.

This CD contains some wonderful songs, and they are arranged beautifully. Nana Mouskouri was certainly at the top of her vocal abilities when she made this album. I can easily recommend it to anybody looking for beautiful singing of some great French songs.

Curiously distinct european phenomenon,Nana Mouskouri's fame had spread like forest fire through the continent and beyond,but for various non-musical reasons US never warmed up to her. Gifted with angelic soprano that projects sincerity,melancholy and tenderness,Mouskouri might be too sweet to some, once you warmed up to her sound,the recorded legacy is very rich and eclectic - she had recorded zillion albums with different thematic approach,different languages and so on (there's interesting Quincy Jones collaboration buried somewhere in all that wealth).

Most of her work sounds very much the same - pick up any of her albums and you get familiar songs interpreted by virginal voice - and this collection of french folk songs has Mouskouri slightly spreading her wings to different territory,although everything she does sounds like christmas music to me.
One of rare albums from her catalogue that is constantly in print in its original form, "Vieilles Chansons de France" has simple,spare mid-70s arrangements and sounds as perfect easy-listening music,specially when singer harmonizes with backing chorus.

The heart of the album and its centerpiece is Mouskouri's take on "Plaisir d'amour" that sounds definitive,no matter how many hundreds of different versions there are in the world - she sounds so right in her intonation,seriousness and elegance that its easy to forget this is not some french blue blooded aristocrat but actually singer from Greece,thought everything about Mouskouri is very regal in her own way.