Skylark: La Vie en Rose
Skylark Ensemble

In lieu of an actual visit to Paris, one could do a whole lot worse than simulate the trip with this enriching collaboration between the esteemed chamber choir Skylark and pianist Joy Schreier, especially when the city's presented at its most romantic. Given that the locale is currently embroiled in rioting over the government's decision to raise the pension age, choosing La Vie en Rose over an actual visit might not be a bad choice, all things considered. What gives the album extra appeal is that, to a greater degree than ever before, the artistry of the renowned group's individual singers is highlighted, with all thirteen featured in significant solo capacities. Schreier too enjoys a moment in the spotlight when towards the end of the sixty-eight-minute release she performs Lili Boulanger's dreamy “D'un jardin clair” alone.

Under the exacting stewardship of Artistic Director Matthew Guard, the group's assembled a set-list that, in drawing from French and Paris-inspired compositions from the last century-and-a-half, touches a vast number of cultural and historical bases. Interspersed among the contemporary French pop songs and theatrical classics are songs associated with Edith Piaf and Charles Trenet, classical art songs by Fauré and Cécile Chaminade, and choral works by Debussy, Saint-Saëns, and others. Anyone coming to Skylark's music for the first time will hardly be surprised to learn that the American group's received three Grammy nominations since 2019 upon sampling this latest collection. Schreier has been likewise honoured, the pianist nominated for Confessions, her 2020 release with soprano Laura Strickling.

With twenty pieces composing the set-list, sequencing is critical, and to that end Guard and company have carefully ordered the material so that listening engagement never wavers. Some songs are marked by intense emotional outpourings (e.g., “Je t'aime,” sung by bass-baritone Michael Hawes), and a number of choices genuinely surprise. With the version by Susan Boyle so widely known, the inclusion of Les Misérables' “I Dreamed a Dream” could raise an eyebrow or two, as might the appearance of “Comme d'habitude,” a song from 1967 by composer Jacques Revaux and lyricists Gille Thibaut and Claude François that, with Paul Anka's English lyrics replacing the French ones two years later, became Frank Sinatra's signature, “My Way.” In reminding us of these songs in their original form, Skylark's versions might be seen as reclamation exercises of sorts.

Mezzo-soprano Carrie Cheron sets a supremely high bar with an entrancing rendition of the Piaf-associated “La Vie en Rose,” the singer's enunciation superb and her emotional calibration nuanced. Schreier accompanies her splendidly on this duet, much as she does elsewhere. Soprano Sarah Moyer gives a lovely rendering of the haunting “Sous le ciel de Paris” and mezzo-soprano Clare McNamara does the same with her charming take on Trenet's “La mer.” Mezzo-soprano Megan Roth distinguishes Chaminade's “Viens, mon bien-aimé!” with a heartfelt reading that makes the song's poignancy resonate all the more. Saint-Saëns' “Sérénade d'Hiver” puts the ensemble's male singers to the test, but they rise magnificently to the occasion with precisely executed polyphony. Lighter pieces, such as the freewheeling riffs on “Car je t'aime” and “Rabbit at top speed” featuring Nathan Hodgson and Erik Gustafson, respectively, and the delightful “Cole Porter in Paris” offer pleasing respites from the heavier ones.

Invariably, certain moments stand out, among them Alissa Ruth Suver's stirring contribution to Fauré's “Le secret” and the full group's soaring performance of Dalida's “Fini, la comédie.” Dana Whiteside's beautiful vocal on “What are you doing the rest of your life?” calls to mind the artistry of Johnny Hartman, with whom John Coltrane partnered for their 1963 Impulse! Records release. As familiar as it is, “I Dreamed a Dream” retains its chills-inducing power when delivered with conviction and passion by Schreier and Sophie Amelkin.

April 2023