"It is truly in his songs that Faure reveals the flower of his genius," wrote the composer's former pupil Maurice Ravel. More than a hundred songs written over six decades made Faure perhaps the greatest master of the genre French "melodie." The present collection takes us on a journey from Faure's first song cycle, "Poeme d'un jour" to his last, "L'Horizon chimerique," via the exultant "La Bonne Chanson" and the intensely concentrated "Mirages." The songs have texts by French poets of Faure's time; here we find poems of Charles Grandmougin, Baronne de Brimont, Paul Verlaine and Jean de La Ville de Mirmont. "Mirages" concludes Bettina Smith's project for LAWO Classics of recording all of Gabriel Faure's cycles for voice and piano. It was preceded in this series by Fetes Galantes and "Serres Chaudes," both together with pianist Einar Rottingen. Together they have also released "Voices of Women" with songs of Fartein Valen, Jostein Stalheim and Ketil Hvoslef, composers from Norway's west coast.

Tracklist:

Poème D’un Jour, Op. 21: I. Rencontre
Poème D’un Jour, Op. 21: II. Toujours
Poème D’un Jour, Op. 21: III. Adieu
Mirages, Op. 113: I. Cygne Sur L’eau
Mirages, Op. 113: II. Reflets Dans L’eau
Mirages, Op. 113: III. Jardin Nocturne
Mirages, Op. 113: IV. Danseuse
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: I. Une Sainte En Son Auréole
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: II. Puisque L’aube Grandit
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: III. La Lune Blanche Luit Dans Les Bois
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: IV. J’allais Par Des Chemins Perfides
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: V. J’ai Presque Peur, En Vérité
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: VI. Avant Que Tu Ne T’en Ailles
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: VII. Donc, Ce Sera Par Un Clair Jour D’été
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: VIII. N’est-Ce Pas?
La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: IX. L’hiver A Cessé
L’horizon Chimérique, Op. 118: I. La Mer Est Infinie
L’horizon Chimérique, Op. 118: II. Je Me Suis Embarqué
L’horizon Chimérique, Op. 118: III. Diane, Séléné
L’horizon Chimérique, Op. 118: IV. Vaisseaux, Nous Vous Aurons Aimés

UPC: 7090020181684
Label: Lawo Classics
Release Date: 4.6.18
Format: CD

Bettina Smith / Nelleke,Jan Willem - Mirages (CD)