Graham Johnson - Faure: The Complete Songs, Vol. 1 - Au bord de l'eau

Hyperion�s record of the month for January sees the launch of an exciting new series: the complete m�lodies of Gabriel Faur� will be released over four discs during 2005.This first disc takes its title, Au bord de l�eau, from the famous song which became Faur�s calling-card, and presents a generous programme of m�lodies of an aquatic nature. The songs are performed in the order of their composition (this rationale of chronology within a general theme will be applied across the other volumes of the series to make up four self-contained and individually satisfying recitals), and alongside several perfect miniatures we here encounter three of the major cycles: the five �Venetian� songs (to the poetry of Paul Verlaine), L�horizon chim�rique, and Mirages, written for Madeleine Grey in thanks for her advocacy of the cycle La chanson d��ve.Graham Johnson has employed a veritable panoply of artists�the very finest interpreters of French song that could be found. Generous commentaries are provided for each song along with the original poems and English translations.