FÉLICIEN DAVID (1810-1876): Le Nuage, Fleur du bonheur, Rêverie, Saltarelle, Adieux à Charence, Reviens, reviens!, Dormez, Marie, Le Bédouin, Formosa, En chemin, J'ai peur de l'aimer, L'Océan, La Chanson du pêcheur, Le Pecheur à sa nacelle, Oubli!, Le Tchibouk, Le Vieillard et les roses, L'Amitié.

Description: Most of David's romances and mélodies date from 1835-48 and he was known widely at home as the "French Schubert" and some of the latter's influence can be felt in various ways in these songs, not least in their melodic sweetness. But you're interested in the Orientalism, aren't you? It's here, as you can see from scanning the titles above but David evokes exoticism through rhythmic treatment of the texts and certain piano effects to simulate percussive Arabian instruments (in Le Bédouin), rather than depicting it through either pseudo-orientalism or use of actual middle eastern melodic material. French-English texts. Tassis Christoyannis (baritone), Thanassis Apostolopoulos (piano).