BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2007, Song Prize Recital 3:  New Theatre, Cardiff 2.00pm 11.6.2007 (ED)

For each round of both competitions, Evan Dickerson offers his impressions of the competitors and their repertoire. Here is his report on the third recital in the Song Prize competition.

RUSSIA:  Anna Viktorova Mezzo Born 1981

Accompanist: Maria Belousova

Sviridov: Russian song
Rakhmaninov: Ya zhdu tebya (12 Songs, Op 14 No 1)
Trad Folksong: Crane

A rather statuesque singer, wearing a full-length black velvet dress, she created a somewhat stern image on stage. All of which ran rather counter to the loving mood of the first two songs in particular. The placing of her voice was far back in the throat, which gave it a rather sombre colouring. Legato lines were well held, though the Rakhmaninov showed that the top notes need firmer control when used suddenly at full volume. The folksong, sung in Armenian, was full of plaintive longing.

Schubert: Gretchen am Spinnrade (Op 2)

Somewhat veiled emotion was shown in Schubert’s famous lied. If the voice had been more forwardly projected it could have created a greater impression, along with more explicit use of the text.

Granados: La Maja Dolorosa I (Tonadillas)

Granados found the other end of the emotional spectrum in Viktorova’s voice, with unchecked passion willingly forthcoming. A fitting response of a woman reproaching death for taking her lover and grieving for his return.

Mussorgsky: Gopak

Finally, a smile! This folk dance song was full of character, ranging from the noble to tender and hectoring in Viktorova’s tone. She seemed to enjoy it, and many in the audience did too.

General comments about the performer

Although there was variety, I would have like more. The Russian repertoire is her strong point, as one would expect. Stage presentation could do with a touch more life about it.

IRELAND: Owen Gilhooly Baritone Born 1976

Accompanist: Christopher Glynn

Schubert: An die Leier (Songs, Op 56 No 2), Der Wanderer - Wie deutlich (Songs, Op 65 No 2)

Clear diction was aided by precise phrasing, particularly in the second song which also carried a richness of tone in the lower range. The first song showed tonal constraint somewhat – though this could be lessen if posture and neck positions were attended to. With a bit more ease in his stance the legato lines would have flowed forth more convincingly.

Saint-Saens: L'attente

The sudden switch to a song with a markedly quicker tempo showed an agile technique at work. Decent French pronunciation brought out touches of humour in this animal-filled song of anticipation.

Poulenc: La maîtresse volage (Chansons Gaillardes)

Rather cheekily sung, Gilhooly emphasised the smug satisfaction of a man known he took a girl’s virginity before another stole her from him probably with similar intentions in mind.

Vaughan Williams: Silent Noon

The rich vein of English Romanticism that Vaughan Williams’ songs employ so readily was expertly explored in a beautifully judged reading by both singer and accompanist. Enchanting.

R Strauss: Cäcilie (Four Songs, Op 27 No 2)

Although Gilhooly has the notes that Strauss requires, some of the slight tonal issues that affected his Schubert returned. A shame; if his natural feeling for the German repertoire could match that he found for Vaughan Williams, it would be rather good by any standards.

General comments about the performer

Clearly an intelligent and sensitive singer with a few minor areas of technique still to be perfected. But one to listen for over the coming years.

JAPAN: Mari Moriya Soprano Born 1978

Accompanist: Simon Lepper

Debussy: Pantomime, Clair de Lune (Fêtes Galantes pour Madame Vasnier Nos 1 and 4), Pierrot, Apparition

There’s no doubt that to these four Debussy songs, Mari Moriya brought poise and exactness in her singing. Repeatedly, however, she would have done well to counter the sensitive phrasing produced for the more lyrical passages by taking slightly greater care to attack exposed high notes with less bite. Has a marked tendency to harden the tone at the very top of her register – potentially an issue to beware of for a coloratura soprano. Occasional linguistic vagueness crept in when hitting the right notes became the primary concern. Simon Lepper’s accompaniments were delightfully pointed and oftentimes models of Gallic restraint.

R Strauss: Als mir dein Lied erklang, Amor (Songs, Op 68 Nos 4 and 5)

The two Strauss songs demonstrated that Moriya largely has the measure of his rich vocal lines, but as in the Debussy needs to float them with greater elegance as well as exactness.

General comments about the performer

I wonder who advised her to sing four Debussy songs in a row! Nothing wrong with them as songs in a regular recital, but it’s hard to create an impression of variety with them in a competition.

USA:  Ryan McKinny Baritone Born 1980

Accompanist: Llŷr Williams

Loewe: Erlkönig (Songs, Op 1 No 3), Die wandelnde Glocke (Songs, Op 20 No 3)

Loewe’s lesser-known Erl-king (preferred by Goethe to Schubert’s version which closed McKinny’s selection) brought expert characterisation and identification with each of its three protagonists. The father was solid and forthright, his son genuinely terrified and the Erl-king conjured in the minds eye a fearsome beast. The second Loewe song also conveyed a sense of fear, though on a lesser scale, as an errant boy who missed church is chased there by the summoning bell itself.

Ives: Songs my mother taught me, The Greatest Man

The first of Ives’ songs had simple, straightforward delivery, and plenty of rich tone, befitting a man passing childhood songs onto his children. One felt the tenderness behind the words.  A nice contrast was had in the second song when McKinny became a cheeky boy impishly making the case for his father to be the greatest man in the world.

Schubert: Der Vater mit dem Kind, Erlkönig

Use of vocal range was well explored in these two Schubert songs. In the first, shading of the voice brought out much in the way of affection felt by a father for his sleeping son. The Erl-king draw to some extent on the characterisation employed earlier for Loewe’s version, though remaining securely in the baritone voice, unlike David D Q Lee’s performance in recital 1. This time the Erl-king himself was not so fierce; he insinuated his way into luring the child to his death. Special mention should be made of Llŷr Williams’s accompaniment: his mesmeric playing started with restraint and gradually allowed the emotion to grow in tandem with McKinny’s opportune characterisation.

General comments about the performer

The intelligence of McKinny’s programme clearly took its cue from having become a father over a year ago. A good idea also to bookend the performance with both versions of the Erl-king. His feeling for the texts, articulation and characterisation abilities all contributed to make this not just a 20 minute competition performance but a genuine mini recital to rival those found on any major stage. A place in the song prize final should be guaranteed – and if he gets it, he’s certainly in contention to win the song final. It’ll be interesting to hear how he fares in the main prize too.

SWEDEN: Ida Falk Winland Soprano Born 1982

Accompanist: Gary Matthewman

Schubert: Rastlose Liebe (Op 5 No 1), Frühlingsglaube (Songs, Op 20 No 2)

Ida Falk Winland did well to follow such a strong performance with one that demonstrated her own strengths, carefully honed through study at the Royal of College of Music in London. Suitable shortness of phrasing in Rastlose Liebe brought a feeling of restless love tangibly from the text. Frühlingsglaube carried purity of tone throughout; her light soprano has delightful ease in its phrasing and ability to control the dynamic without compromising its lightness of touch or tonal integrity, where pensively reflective qualities were shown.

Fauré: Toujours (Poème d'un jour, Op.21 No 2)

A stylish singer of Fauré, her identification with a poet told to leave his lover forever, showed qualities of quiet disbelief at the request and sorrow that forever actually means forever.

Enescu: Languir me fais (Sept Chansons de Clément Marot, Op 15 No 2)

Enescu wrote Languir me fais as a song in which a man pines after his lover who has stopped writing him letters. Ida Falk Winland neatly turned the tables to suggest the opposite through restless posture at the start. Excellently controlled shaping of the slender vocal line contributed much as well, with the final note held on a mere thread of tone beyond the piano accompaniment to imply some inner desolation and disappointment at the state of affairs with her boyfriend. The tempo was far slower that Enescu indicated, although the one taken did give the song a gentle Gallic atmosphere.

Gosta Nystroem: Det enda (Sinfonia del mare) Sibelius: Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte (Songs, Op 37 No 5)

On home territory one could almost say, Ida Falk Winland gave suitably direct performances of these two songs to show how much more mileage can still be gained for singers with the linguistic aptitude to explore this repertoire. Nystroem’s refined song contrasted well with the exhuberance of the Sibelius, to produce a strong close to this recital.

General comments about the performer

Some singers draw you in with power of voice, some with expressive characterisation, and others with their musical sensitivity. Ida Falk Winland falls into the last category for me. She has that key characteristic too: consistency of quality. No doubt we’ll hear more of her in years to come, even if we don’t later in the week. Personally, I’d like to hear her in the final.

Evan Dickerson

BBC Radio Song Prize Broadcasts

Recitals 1-4 will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 from Tuesday 12-Friday 15 June between 1pm and 2.30pm. Radio 3 will also  broadcast The Song Prize Final on Saturday 16th June.  Presenter: Fiona Talkington with guest Catherine Bott.

Details of BBC Radio Wales / Radio Cymru broadcasts are Here