The Ensemble Esquisses is the result of a shared desire to explore the repertoire for equal voices, with the aim of discovering (or rediscovering) composers (men and women) and little-known works of the modern and contemporary periods.

This all-female vocal group is among the most singular of its generation, conspicuous in its commitment to the creation of new works and known for its clean, sculptural sound, carefully honed by its conductor, Guillemette Daboval.

These qualities are admirably demonstrated in this, the group’s first recording. With pieces ranging from the sacred (André Caplet’s Messe à trois voix, Francis Poulenc’s Litanies, and Agnus by Caroline Marçot) to the sensual (Chansons érotiques by Olivier Kaspar, recorded here for the first time) and the tragic (Ernest Chausson’s Chant funèbre), this programme combines splendid work on the sound material with fine unity in the dramatic inspiration, bringing out the poetry of these compositions with absolute sincerity.