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Artist: Skylark

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Skylark:

Clear Voices in the Dark

Clear Voices in the Dark [Sono Luminus (DSL92278)], a new recording by the Skylark Vocal Ensemble under the direction of Artistic Director/Conductor Matthew Guard features Figure Humaine, Francis Poulenc’s hymn to LIBERTÉ intriguingly interspersed with songs of the American Civil War.

Poulenc’s Figure Humaine is considered one of the greatest works ever composed for an unaccompanied choir. Poulenc wrote the cantata in 1943 during the Nazi occupation of France, based on resistance-inspired poems by Paul Éluard including LIBERTÉ. The cantata is a stunning 8-movement exploration of the grim realities of war, culminating in an optimistic and embattled cry for liberty in the face of oppression. Asked why Skylark decided to record Clear Voices in the Dark now, Guard says “I think art borne out of a time of societal turmoil can be particularly profound; As we live once again in a time of unspeakable horrors in Ukraine, Russia, Israel and Gaza, we believe the music on this album can shed light on nightmares of the past through the art that emerged from them, and most importantly, affirm the incredible power of the human spirit to endure in times of tragedy. Rarely performed or recorded due to its difficulty, this is the first US recording of Figure Humaine.