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Metier

New French Song II

$18.99

Details

Composer
Various
Artist
Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durrant
Format
CD
Label
Metier
Released
Jul 18, 2025
Catalog #
MEX92110
UPC
809730211027

About

Two decades after their pioneering 2004 album New French Song, soprano Alison Smart Fisher and pianist Katharine Durran return with a bold and timely sequel. New French Song II presents ten newly commissioned settings of French texts by women and non-binary composers, expanding the art song repertoire with fresh perspectives and luminous creativity. The original New French Song brought together 20 British composers, each setting a French poem-predominantly Romantic and written by men. This second collection rebalances the picture, offering a rich, contemporary counterpoint. The texts, all by women and non-binary poets, span eight centuries of Francophone literature, from Europe to the Caribbean, and reflect a wide-ranging poetic tradition-from the sensual cadences of Symbolism to the fractured textures of post-Modernism. The themes are universal: love's first stirrings, it's losses and partings, the solace of solitude, and the healing power of nature. Chosen with care to resonate with younger readers as well as seasoned listeners, these texts speak with clarity and nuance, free from gendered conventions, yet charged with emotional depth. The composers-among them Deirdre Gribbin, Shirley J. Thompson, Lesley-Jane Rogers, and Grainne Mulvey-respond with a dazzling range of musical idioms. From lyrical stillness to rhythmic intensity, their settings are at once rooted in the tradition of French melodie and alert to the sonic world of today. The resulting collection is kaleidoscopic in colour and tone, yet unified by a shared commitment to text, voice, and the art of expressive song. Two bonus tracks complete the programme: a new song each by Nicola LeFanu and Daryl Runswick, both closely associated with the performers and longstanding champions of new music. Together, New French Song I & II form a landmark achievement-an ambitious, beautifully realised cycle that now offers a more inclusive and representative vision of what the modern songbook can be. This album is a compelling testament to artistic curiosity, collaboration, and the enduring vitality of song. For listeners drawn to the intersection of poetry and new music, or for those seeking fresh voices in the classical landscape, New French Song II is a significant and rewarding release.

Tracklist 12 tracks

  1. 1 Les arbres me parlent, dit Idir 03:07
    Track
    1
    Title
    Les arbres me parlent, dit Idir
    Duration
    03:07
    Composer
    Deirdre Gribbin
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  2. 2 Calendrier 01:59
    Track
    2
    Title
    Calendrier
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    Shirley J. Thompson
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  3. 3 Les yeux 02:15
    Track
    3
    Title
    Les yeux
    Duration
    02:15
    Composer
    Cecilia McDowall
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  4. 4 Les amoureux 01:21
    Track
    4
    Title
    Les amoureux
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Emily Hall
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  5. 5 Vous, et moi 01:49
    Track
    5
    Title
    Vous, et moi
    Duration
    01:49
    Composer
    Joanna Forbes L'Estrange
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  6. 6 Demain, commencera le bruit 03:12
    Track
    6
    Title
    Demain, commencera le bruit
    Duration
    03:12
    Composer
    Millicent B. Jones
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  7. 7 Les séparés 02:50
    Track
    7
    Title
    Les séparés
    Duration
    02:50
    Composer
    Lesley-Jane Rogers
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  8. 8 Seulette suis 02:52
    Track
    8
    Title
    Seulette suis
    Duration
    02:52
    Composer
    Kerry Andrew
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  9. 9 Comète 02:10
    Track
    9
    Title
    Comète
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    Helen Neeves
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  10. 10 J'aime 02:46
    Track
    10
    Title
    J'aime
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Gráinne Mulvey
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  11. 11 Je vis, je meurs 03:26
    Track
    11
    Title
    Je vis, je meurs
    Duration
    03:26
    Composer
    Daryl Runswick
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran
  12. 12 Au chat 02:11
    Track
    12
    Title
    Au chat
    Duration
    02:11
    Composer
    Nicola LeFanu
    Performer
    Alison Smart Fisher, Katharine Durran