PURCELL
Music for A While
Sweeter Than Roses
ROSSINI
La Promessa
FAURE
Claire de Lune
Chanson d'Amour
Apres un Reve
RICHARD STRAUSS
Ich Leibe Dich
Befreit
Zueignung
WAGNER
Wesendonk Lieder
BRIDGE
Go Not Happy Day
Love Went a-Riding
BRITTEN
Johnny (Cabaret Songs)
HARNICK & BAKER
Someone is Sending Me Flowers
Beware!
This CD is only for genuine lovers of singers with magnificent voices and,
contrary to what many may say, these are very rare. We have been privileged
to have a few outstanding sopranos such as Geraldine Farrar, Helen Traubel,
Frida Leider, Kirsten Flagstad, Brigit Nielsen, Joan Sutherland, Maria Callas,
Jessye Norman and now Judith Buckle.
What a voice she has. Her intonation is faultless; her range is secure throughout
and she seems to have a new voice for each composer. Her voice never becomes
familiar or predictable. One cannot help but listen and admire.
For those of us who love the human voice we are painfully fussy about its
quality, production, projection and intonation. The interpretation of songs
is never an easy matter and to communicate them with conviction evoking a
response of sheer pleasure and that rare personal profound satisfaction of
music is almost unheard of.
But not here.
All these vastly desirable attributes are in Miss Buckle's singing.
To add to this, many famous sopranos have ghastly musical habits which range
from ugly portamenti to obnoxious showing off.
But not here.
Take, for example, Richard Strauss's glorious Zueignung. It has the
right pose, the right tempo and the sheer beauty of the voice is, quite frankly,
beyond words.
Wagner may be the greatest composer for the voice. After listening to this
very moving account of the Wesendock Lieder it would take some convincing
to refute that claim. I have never heard them sung better and I have 40
recordings. The songs are not just sung ... they are lived.
Her repertoire ranges over 300 years and Miss Buckle is comfortable in all
styles. And when a performer makes you listen to music you may not admire
at all it must say something for their musical gifts.
The Frank Bridge songs are welcome. Love went a-Riding is a stunning
piece which, incidentally, requires a pianist with a cool head and steel
fingers. I shall never forget another great singer, the incomparable Sybil
Michelow, a contralto, singing this song and accompanying herself at the
piano!
The final song on the disc causes me to respond by suggesting that we do
send Miss Buckle flowers as a small appreciation of allowing us to share
something very special ... and rare.
Reviewer
David Wright
Performances
Recording
see also Performers section
Judith Buckle
(soprano), Peter Selwyn (piano)
