With this new album, the ensemble Les Lunaisiens, led by Arnaud Marzorati, reaffirms its mission: to bring the ancestral heritage of French chanson back into the spotlight. By presenting a history of France through its songs, the ensemble brings to light contrasting tales from different eras—sometimes dramatic, sometimes satirical—which bear witness to the richness and complexity of the popular vocal heritage. 
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The new album by the ensemble Les Lunaisiens, released on the Seulétoile label, “Jadis et Naguère” remains true to the mantra of the group led by baritone Arnaud Marzorati: to recount the history of the French chanson from its earliest origins. In this album, the history of France serves as the central theme of this exploration: from the distant days of the Frankish kingdom to those of the grand Versailles, contrasting narratives emerge, where satire and parody sit alongside poetry and nostalgia.
Far from aiming for historical authenticity, Les Lunaisiens seek to evoke the ‘spirit of the age’—the way in which the passing of centuries, rulers and events have nourished popular creativity and shaped collective perceptions. Thus, the linear chronology between the pieces is replaced by a more emotional trajectory, guided by the evocative power and variety of this eclectic musical heritage: history is therefore no longer the official version, that of the ‘elite’, but also the one that takes shape in the gossip and beliefs of the street.
This reconstruction is by no means the result of chance, however, as it draws on a substantial body of reference material, primarily the works of France Vernillat and Pierre Barbier and their Histoire de France par les chansons (A History of France through Songs), published in 1982, which compiled numerous satirical and historical songs. The repertoire of the Caveau society, a singing and literary brotherhood founded in 1729, the collections published in the 19th century by the chansonniers Béranger and Désaugiers, and those by the publisher Henri Louis Delloye in 1843, constitute further sources of inspiration for this album. Drawing on this abundant source, the ensemble has endeavoured to reconstruct the form and arrangements of these songs, of which time has sometimes preserved only the melodies, not so much for the sake of strict historical accuracy as for fidelity to their original spirit: to entertain and provide an excuse for enjoyment.
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