COMPOSERS: Rachmaninov
LABELS: Decca London
WORKS: Songs
PERFORMER: Elisabeth Söderström (soprano), Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)
CATALOGUE NO: 436 920-2 ADD (1975-80)
This treasure of a collection gathers 83 solo songs (plus one duet with John Shirley-Quirk) from five LPs. Often evoking the more familiar instrumental Rachmaninov, the artistic, non-chronological sequence finds Söderström at her most poetic and technically finest: who else makes a top C sharp so creamy? Ashkenazy illumines the rich accompaniments (sample ‘Spring Waters’) and provides a solo epilogue. Full transliteration, translations and a helpful essay are provided. Arthur Jacobs
Rachmaninov: Songs
This treasure of a collection gathers 83 solo songs (plus one duet with John Shirley-Quirk) from five LPs. Often evoking the more familiar instrumental Rachmaninov, the artistic, non-chronological sequence finds Söderström at her most poetic and technically finest: who else makes a top C sharp so creamy? Ashkenazy illumines the rich accompaniments (sample ‘Spring Waters’) and provides a solo epilogue. Full transliteration, translations and a helpful essay are provided. Arthur Jacobs
Our rating
5
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:31 pm