Chansons - Maurice Ravel - Chansons: Histoires naturelles. Chansons madcasses.

Inva Mula, Valerie Millot, Claire Brua, Gerard Thruel, Laurent Naouri. Piano : David Abramovitz; Cello: Xavier Gagnepain; Flute: Vicenc Prats.

Naxos: DDD 8.554176-77

Maurice Ravel started learning to play the piano at the age of seven, and continued playing and conducting until his untimely death.

He left 39 songs behind which covered a diverse and lyrical base.

Ravel took his inspiration from European countries.

He used the poems and epigrammes from several French poets, such as Clement Marot, Verlaine and Paul Morand.

Here, the piano is played with a subtle delicacy, which allows the words to be heard and the voices are pure in tone and timbre.

So, these duets between instrument and voice are beautifully presented.

There are songs from Spain, France, Italy, Scotland and even some Hebrew ones.

The five Greek folk songs - Bride's Song; There, by the church; What gallant is it to be compared with me; Song of the girls picking mastic and Yaroumbi, yaroumbi! - are so eloquent, one can almost taste the retsina.

This recording ends with Chansons madcasses , written to accompany the words of Evariste Desire de Forges Parny.

It is so evocative of nights in exotic places.

The heat and the smells of Madagascar and the promise of love in a hot tropical climate are cleverly portrayed in words and music.

A two-CD set, Ravel is a celebration of a prolific composer's work in song.