CANTELOUBE: SONGS OF THE AUVERGNE. Jill Gomez,...

CANTELOUBE: SONGS OF THE AUVERGNE. Jill Gomez, soprano; Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vernon Handley. Angel Eminence AE-34471 (digital). Marie-Joseph Canteloube’s plush but often eloquent arrangements of these simple Langue d’Oc folk songs now serve divas major and otherwise. Gomez is no diva, but a conscientious, linguistically enlightened soprano who confers a welcome freshness and smoky individuality on this material, rarely inflating it beyond its modest stature. Her selection ranges widely, including excerpts from all five of the Canteloube collections. Handley assists with glowing accompaniments. The sound could have been a bit more spacious.