Gabriel Fauré’s original setting of “Lydia” contains a Piano accompaniment which is largely written colla voce following the vocal part. In Denis Rouger’s arrangement this is omitted, and by contrast the peaceful, flowingcharacter unfolds in a purely vocal texture. The dreamy ideas, full of longing, addressed to the beloved Lydia find their expression in a melody based on the Lydian mode that is a major scale with a raised fourth.
Theseart songs were originally composed not for Chamber Choir, but for solo Voice and Piano. Denis Rouger has carefully adapted them to suit the requirements and expressive possibilities offered by a larger ensemble, without losingtheany of the qualities of the original in the process. Each part in the choir has a melodic line drawn from the harmonic and rhythmic framework. In the process, the variety and refinement of the choral language combines with anenormous flexibility in form and expression, as French melodies or German art song demand from a soloist and pianist. The songs have been recorded by the figure humaine chamber choir on the CD "Kennst du das Land ..." (Carus83.495).
