Malcolm Martineau - The Complete Songs of Poulenc, Vol. 3 (2011) [Hi-Res]

Composing over 150 works for piano and voice over a period of 44 years, the songs of Francis Poulenc remain consistently popular to concert audiences the world over. Varying in their individual style and character in a way that defies generalization, Poulenc set music to a wide range of different French poetry – both ancient and modern, and from the serious to the surreal. This is the third release in our series that will build to encompass the complete songs of Francis Poulenc – performed by some of the greatest singers of the day and accompanied by the exceptional Malcolm Martineau.

Praise for the first disc includes: "Lisa Milne performs wonderfully throughout this Poulenc disc. She really sings the French as to the Manoir born … A nicely balanced and arranged recital for all of these voices, so a promising start to this new Poulenc series." (Hilary Finch and Andrew McGregor, BBC Radio 3)

“Martineau's apparently limitless wisdom about the musicians, the music, and indeed the piano continues at full stretch. The uneasy postlude to 'Voyage', frmo Calligrammes, makes for one of his most breathtaking moments, but the level of intensity is there at all levels” (BBC Music Magazine)

“Sarah Fox opens this third volume in Signum's comprehensive series of Poulenc's songs with a bright, tidy and stylish performance of Airs chantes...The contribution throughout this disc from Martineau is outstanding: his voicing of Poulenc's pulsating chords is just one of the features of his playing that makes for absorbing listening. The recording captures both voices and piano with a natural-sounding warmth and clarity.” (International Record Review)

“any slight piano dominance comes from the sheer character of Martineau's playing. This is immediately effective in the opening group of four Airs chantes, sung with engaging character and immediacy by Sarah Fox...With eight outstanding singers and the pianist all on top torm, this is the most attractively inviting of these Poulenc anthologies so far issued.” (Gramophone Magazine)

John Mark Ainsley, tenor
Lisa Milne, soprano
Sarah Fox, soprano
Lorna Anderson, soprano
Ann Murray, mezzo soprano
Robert Murray, tenor
Jonathan Lemalu, bass-baritone
Malcolm Martineau, piano