Chansons d’autrefois & Chemins de mélancolie

Vincent Dumestre and Le Poème Harmonique traverse French baroque vocal repertoire on this Alpha Productions release, pairing period-appropriate instrumental arrangements with texts steeped in melancholy and nostalgia. The ensemble’s approach to these chansons privileges intimate expression over grandeur, letting lute and viol work frame delicate vocal lines with restraint. A programme that rewards close listening—these aren’t showpiece arias but rather domestic songs designed for the salon.