08. Albert Roussel - Light, op.19 no.1 [3'12]
09. - 10. Albert Roussel - Deux Melodies, op.20 [4'56]
11. - 12. Albert Roussel - Deux poemes chinois, op.35 [4'41]
13. Albert Roussel - Jazz dans la nuit, op.38 [3'55]
14. - 16. Claude Debussy - Trois Chansons de Bilitis [8'41]
17. - 19. Claude Debussy - Trois Chansons de France [5'46]
20. - 22. Claude Debussy - Fetes Galantes. Book II [7'25]
23. Claude Debussy - Les Cloches [2'10]
24. Claude Debussy - Mandoline [1'21]
25. Claude Debussy - Beau Soir [2'43]
Sarah Walker- mezzo & Roger Vignoles- piano
Unicorn Kanchana DKPCD 9035 (recorded December 1983; CD issued 1984)
(flac and scans)
Recording venue: Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, Hampstead
Recording engineer: Bob Auger; Producer: Siva Oke
The British mezzo-soprano Sarah Walker was born in 1943 and is probably best known as an opera and lieder singer. This is a very satisfying collection of mostly unfamiliar French songs (the Enescu set are particularly attractive). Although originally issued with this simple title "French Songs", subsequent re-issues and internet references have changed the name to "Romantic French Songs". Quite why, I have no idea. Sarah Walker's collaboration with Roger Vignoles is on a high level with excellent enunciation and exquisite pianism. As usual, with Bob Auger, the recorded sound is excellent. (My apologies to French readers for the lack of accents on the letters of music titles in the tags - my keyboard doesn't do them.)