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Kremer’s latest recording, “Searching for Beethoven,” with cellist Mario Brunello and the Kremerata Baltica, begins with Brunello’s arrangement of “Muss es Sein? Es muss sein!,” a 1970s song by anarchistic French chanteur Léo Ferré.

The war years had transformed him from a chanteur leading nonviolent Arab Spring-inspired rallies to a desperate fighter.

Thickly orchestrated and often haunting, the records initially featured covers of songs by Jacques Brel, the Belgian chanteur, before comprising originals by the baritone-voiced Mr. Walker.

Imagine an update of a Weimar Republic cabaret act in which the chanteur takes his makeup cues from “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” and his fashion sense from a 1960s housewife on the verge.

Yet when West premiered the album at a Madison Square Garden event last month, Sia and Vic Mensa’s contributions were cut and replaced with an appearance by elusive chanteur Frank Ocean.