Renee’s Rachmaninoff
Songs by Rachmaninoff, Strauss, Debussy, and more
I had the opportunity to listen to a recording of Renee Fleming, performing some songs of Rachmaninoff before a small audience. The music was just sublime. Rachmaninoff knew how to connect with his listeners…
On this CD, there are a lot more than just Rachmaninoff songs for your enjoyment; the tracks are:
- 1. Clair de lune, song for voice & piano (or orchestra) in B flat minor, Op. 46/2
Composed by Gabriel Faure
with Renee Fleming, Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- 2. Mandoline, song for voice & piano (Cinq Mélodies ‘de Venise’), Op. 58/1
Composed by Gabriel Faure
- 3. Après un rêve (“Dans un sommeil”), song for voice & piano, Op. 7/1
Composed by Gabriel Faure
- 4. Soir, song for voice & piano in D flat major, Op. 83/2
Composed by Gabriel Faure
- 5. Nell, song for voice & piano in G flat major, Op. 18/1
Composed by Gabriel Faure
- 6. Beau soir (“Lorsque au soleil couchant les rivières sont roses”), song for voice & piano, L. 6
Composed by Claude Debussy
- 7. Mandoline (“Les donneurs de sérénades”), song for voice & piano, L. 29
Composed by Claude Debussy
- 8. Apparition (“La lune s’attristait”), song for voice & piano, L. 53
Composed by Claude Debussy
- 9. Chansons de Bilitis (3), song cycle for voice & piano, L. 90
Composed by Claude Debussy
- 10. Nocturne, for voice & piano
Composed by Joseph Marx
- 11. Nachtgebet, for voice & piano
Composed by Joseph Marx
- 12. Selige Nacht, for voice & piano
Composed by Joseph Marx
- 13. Pierrot Dandy, for voice & piano
Composed by Joseph Marx
- 14. Ruhe, meine Seele (“Nicht ein Lüftchen regt sich leise”), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 27/1 (TrV 170/1)
Composed by Richard Strauss
- 15. Schlechtes Wetter (“Das ist ein schlechtes Wetter”), song for voice & piano, Op. 69/5 (TrV 237/5)
Composed by Richard Strauss
- 16. Leises Lied (“In einem stillen Garten”), song for voice & piano, Op. 39/1 (TrV 189/1)
Composed by Richard Strauss
- 17. Leise Lieder (“Leise Lieder sing ich dir bei Nacht”), song for voice & piano, Op. 41/5 (TrV 195/5)
Composed by Richard Strauss
- 18. Cäcilie (“Wenn du es wüsstest”), song for voice & piano (or orchestra), Op. 27/2 (TrV 170/2)
Composed by Richard Strauss
- 19. How fair this spot, song for voice & piano, Op. 21/7
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
- 20. In the silence of the secret night, song for voice & piano, Op. 4/3
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
- 21. The water lily, song for voice & piano, Op. 8/1
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
- 22. The dream, song for voice & piano, Op. 38/5
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
- 23. These summer nights, song for voice & piano, Op. 14/5
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
- 24. Georgian Song (“Do not Sing, My Beauty”), for voice & piano, Op. 4/4
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
Soprano Renée Fleming’s mastery of a very large repertoire extends to many of the songs on this disc. A French group opens the disc, specifically 11 songs by Fauré and Debussy that are of an intimate style not always comfortable for non-French opera singers. Fleming shows us many moments of amazing singing in many of these selections.
The German Lieder by Joseph Marx and Richard Strauss are terrific, and represent an area where Fleming has a lot of performance experience. She makes Strauss’ “Ruhe meine Seele” really special for us. Her voice is never less than gorgeous, and she’s beautifully accompanied by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
Here is Renee Fleming in Rachmaninoff’s “Ne poi, krasavitsa, pri mne”, and accompanied by orchestra:
And here is the same song, with just violin and piano as supporting instruments. You decide which version you prefer:
Tags: Renee Fleming, Rachmaninoff, Songs, Strauss, Debussy