Barbara Bonney, Soprano, with
Malcolm Martineau, Piano, performing:
1. Dichterliebe by Robert Schumann
2. Scandinavian Songs by several composers
When I was about 15 years old and living in New York, my father purchased an LP record (remember these?) of the Schumann Dichterliebe songs (German: Poet’s Love), as sung by the French Baritone, Gerard Souzay. I not only love these songs, but I also believed that they were originally composed for Baritone. Wrong! Upon further research, I learned that Schumann wrote these for a female singer, Wilhelmine Schroeder-Devrient. Later, these 15 songs were sung mostly by male singers, until Ms. Bonney brought them back to us in the original setting in this recording.
Ms. Bonney brings wonderful musicianship, phrasing, color, and feeling to these songs. And they are a mixture of Love Songs, sad songs, and here and there also a happy song.
In the second part of the DVD, Ms. Bonney sings 19 songs by several Scandinavian composers. These songs seem to have a character quite similar to the Schumann, and I enjoyed their melodious nature, even though I did not understand one word!
There are several interviews with the artists, and these are helpful to the enjoyment of the entire performance.
If you wish to purchase this DVD, go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Voices-Our-Time-Martineau-Chatelet/dp/B0002F6B4W