Lott

This is a pick 'n' mix but nevertheless interesting assembly of Francis Poulenc's highly imaginative settings of French poetry. It ranges from the sublime to the inscrutable, with plenty of doggerel along the way. Like many other discs before and since, this is, in essence, a Felicity Lott with Graham Johnson showcase, and Poulenc, opuses plundered, takes a bit of a back seat. But even so, the brilliance of his writing is irrepressible as he turns numerous sows' ears into little silk purses. Anyone more interested in discovering Poulenc than Lott will not be disappointed at this taster.

Dans ce disque paru en 1996 (qui est aussi l'année de son anoblissement par la reine Elisabeth II), Felicity Lott ressuscite le répertoire léger français de la première moitié du XXe siècle. “Dame Felicity’s collection of lollipop-encores, with the faithful Graham Johnson at the keyboard, is a jolly affair, not to be taken in one gulp. Any one or two of these songs and arias might be indeed often have featured at the end of their recitals. “