CHARLES KOECHLIN (1867-1950): 7 chansons pour Gladys, Op. 151, Si tu le veux, Op. 5/5, Le cortège d'Amphitrite, Op. 31/2, Amphise et Melitta, Op. 31/6, Déclin d'amour, Op. 13/1, Aux temps de fées, Op. 7/4, Le repas préparé, Op. 31/5, La chanson des Ingénues, Op. 22/1, Améthyste, Op. 35/2, Hymne à Vénus, Op. 68/1, L'Hiver, Op. 8/2, La Nuit, Op. 1/2, L'Été, Op. 1/5, L'Air, Op. 8/5, La Lune, Op. 8/4, Le Printemps, Op. 1/4, Le Thé, Op. 1/3.

Description: Most of Koechlin's songs were early works, like the eight rondels which close this recital and which date from 1900-05 - short, direct and conservative in style. All the rest are from the years following and up until the War; here polytonality, supple vocal lines, occasional lush Debussian chords and greater length apply. The Gladys chansons are from the 1930s and Koechlin's obsession with silent film actress Lilian Harvey (Gladys is a character she played in a 1931 film). These are short, humorous and whimsical pieces of subtle wit to the composer's own texts. French-English texts. Claudette Leblanc (soprano), Boaz Sharon (piano). Original 1987 Hyperion release.