French Songs (DVD)

This series of TV programmes presents the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Susan Graham, Martha Argerich, Yuri Temirkanov, Stephen Kovacevich, and Philippe Jaroussky. Together with Malcolm Martineau on the piano, the Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Susan Graham features a fascinating compilation of well-known French composers. Both have also toured with the program - comprising nearly two dozen songs by as many composers - to great acclaim. The recital Graham and Martineau gave this past summer at the Verbier Festival in French-speaking Switzerland brought down the house. Being Musical America's 2004 Vocalist of the year, Graham is well-known as an expert in French melodies. The genre is known as a very tricky genre but she presents the songs with a fascinating jewel-like clarity and gleaming tone. Martineau is the perfect counter-part who adds some finely judged French seasoning.

Lieder von Bizet, Franck, Saint-Saens, Chabrier, Bachelet, Duparc, Ravel, Caplet, Roussel, Debussy, Faure, Honegger, Rosenthal, Poulenc, Hahn