This recording from French mezzo-soprano Karine Deshayes and Ensemble Contraste explores familiar tunes of French Romanticism. Featuring works from Berlioz, Fauré, Gounod, Massenet and more, this delicious programme paints a picture of music and life in the Parisian salons. From romance to melody composers of the century took their inspiration from the best writers of their time. Victor Hugo (Berlioz), Leconte de Lisle (Massenet), Lamartine (Gounod et Godard), Anna de Noailles (St Saëns)… 'La Captive', for instance, is a poem from Victor Hugo that comes from Les Orientales. In April 1847, upon announcing the arrival of the composer, a Russian newspaper stated : "Berlioz is within our walls, he truly is the Victor Hugo of French music".

• Berlioz: La captive
• Chausson: Chanson perpétuelle, Op. 37
• Fauré: Andante in B flat for Violin and Piano Op. 75
• Fauré: Après un rêve, Op. 7 No. 1
• Fauré: Berceuse, Op. 16
• Fauré: Pavane, Op. 50
• Fauré: Romance in A major for cello & piano, Op. 69
• Godard, B: Berceuse from Jocelyn
• Gounod: L'Absent
• Gounod: Romances (3) sans paroles: Le Soir
• Massenet: Elégie
• Massenet: Meditation (from Thaïs)
• Massenet: Mélodie - Élegie
• Saint-Saëns: Allegro Appassionato in B minor Op. 43
• Saint-Saëns: Le Cygne (from Le carnaval des animaux)
• Saint-Saëns: Violons dans le soir
• Saint-Saëns: Violons dans le soir (de Noilles)