Gabriel Fauré’s original setting of “Lydia” contains a piano accompaniment which is largely written colla voce – following the vocal part. In Denis Rouger’s arrangement this is omitted, and by contrast the peaceful, flowing character unfolds in a purely vocal texture. The dreamy ideas, full of longing, addressed to the beloved Lydia find their expression in a melody based on the Lydian mode – that is a major scale with a raised fourth.

This art song was originally composed not for chamber ch...