Search - Britten, Thomson, Sno :: Les Illuminations / 4 French Songs

Benjamin Britten began writing songs when he was in his early teens. The dominating influences in the West at that time were German, but Britten--as seen here in these works--always took his cues from the French and French neoclassicism. The songs in Les Illuminations for Soprano and String Orchestra are bright and alert with no thunder or bluster. This is especially true in "Quatre Chansons Francaises," four understated and tender songs of longing and desire. If there is a fault here, it lies in the recording ambience. The orchestra sounds a little dull, especially in the "Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings." --Paul Cook