Clear Voices In The Dark Skylark Vocal Ensemble & Matthew Guard

• Henry L. Tucker (1826 - 1882): When this Cruel War is Over – Weeping, Sad and Lonely:
• 1Tucker: When this Cruel War is Over – Weeping, Sad and Lonely04:05
• Francis Poulenc (1899 - 1963): Figure Humaine:
• 2Poulenc: Figure Humaine: I. De tous les printemps du monde...02:39
• Irish Traditional: Johnny has gone for a soldier:
• 3Traditional: Johnny has gone for a soldier01:55
• Francis Poulenc : Figure Humaine:
• 4Poulenc: Figure Humaine: II. En chantant les servantes s'élancent...01:54
• Frederick Buckley (1833 - 1864): Break it Gently to my Mother:
• 5Buckley: Break it Gently to my Mother03:15
• Francis Poulenc: Figure Humaine:
• 6Poulenc: Figure Humaine: III. Aussi bas que le silence...01:31
• Irish Traditional: Johnny, I hardly knew ye:
• 7Traditional: Johnny, I hardly knew ye03:17
• Francis Poulenc: Figure Humaine:
• 8Poulenc: Figure Humaine: IV. Toi ma patiente...01:53
• William Oscar Perkins (1831 - 1902): Soldier's Memorial Day:
• 9Perkins: Soldier's Memorial Day02:13
• Francis Poulenc: Figure Humaine:
• 10Poulenc: Figure Humaine: V. Riant du ciel et des planètes...01:00
• Walter Kittredge (1834 - 1905), Irving Gordon (1915 - 1996): Workin' for the dawn of peace:
• 11Kittredge, Gordon: Workin' for the dawn of peace03:21
• Francis Poulenc: Figure Humaine:
• 12Poulenc: Figure Humaine: VI. Le jour m'étonne et la nuit me fait peur...01:39
• William Henry Monk (1823 - 1889): Abide with me:
• 13Monk: Abide with me03:38
• Francis Poulenc: Figure Humaine:
• 14Poulenc: Figure Humaine: VII. La menace sous le ciel rouge...03:03
• Julia Ward Howe (1819 - 1910): The Battle Hymn of the Republic:
• 15Howe: The Battle Hymn of the Republic03:26
• Francis Poulenc: Figure Humaine:
• 16Poulenc: Figure Humaine: VIII. LIBERTÉ04:28
• Total Runtime43:17

Info for Clear Voices In The Dark

Francis Poulenc’s Figure Humaine is one of the greatest works ever composed for unaccompanied choir – composed in 1943 in occupied France, and based on resistance-inspired poems by Paul Éluard, it 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. Skylark’s innovative concert program, Clear Voices in the Dark, is a powerful cross-cultural statement about the expressive power of the arts, and specifically the human voice, in times of tragedy.

​Interspersed between Poulenc’s stirring and complex settings, Skylark offers far simpler (but no less beautiful) musical images from the American Civil War era. Skylark shares some well-known pieces that have remained in the popular consciousness, as well as beautiful war-inspired songs that have long since been forgotten (and only found thanks to the Duke University Historical Archives).​

Skylark Vocal Ensemble
Matthew Guard, direction

The Skylark Vocal Ensemble
is a chamber choir of professional soloists and music educators from across the United States. Formed in 2011 under the direction of Matthew Guard, Skylark has been described as “a gem… soloists who come together to create a dynamic and inspiring whole.” Skylark performs innovative programs that help reinforce the intent of the composers to communicate truths about the human condition. A not-for-profit entity Skylark also performs educational outreach programs with students across the United States during its concert tours.

Matthew Guard
Skylark Artistic Director Matthew Guard is quickly earning a reputation as one of the most innovative and thoughtful programmers in American choral music. Passionate about communicating something unique in each concert and recording, Matthew scours the world of available repertoire for each program, exhaustively researches each piece, and crafts concerts and printed programs that captivate audiences with their hidden connections and seamless artistry. In addition to his day-to-day leadership of Skylark and role as a conductor in concerts, Matthew is also an active arranger and editor of scores, as he rarely finds programming ideas that will truly sing without at least one piece specifically arranged or composed for the program.

Booklet for Clear Voices In The Dark