Gallic Style

This is very much a one off disk in my collection in terms of repertoire and style. Not normally my thing at all but I heard a sample track on Radio 3 and was tempted to give it a punt. As a one off I find it an enjoyable diversion, superior easy listening. The album is French Operetta Arias by American mezzo - soprano Susan Graham with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yves Abel. The track that tempted me to acquire the disk was the first track, C'est la vie, c'est ca l'amour which has a somwhat corny but irresistable latin dance band lilt. The composer of this song was Moises Simons and other composers featured include Andre Messager, Maurice Yvain, Arthur Honegger and Reynaldo Hahn. Hahn and Messager are the most widely represented in these songs from the first half of the 20th century. There is nothing particularly profound here in either lyrical or musical terms but it is in a way a kind of Gallic answer to the Great American Songbook and Susan Graham is obviously having a ball, especially in some of the racier songs. This disk constitutes a break for her from the most serious operatic repertoire but should certainly not be confused with any commercially driven crossover project. The CBSO also seem to enjoy the lighter style under the specialist direction of Abel.