COMPOSERS: Gaveux,Mahler,Menotti &Martini,Prokofiev,Rameau,Spontini,Tchaikovsky,Turina
LABELS: Sony
WORKS: Songs by Rameau, Turina, Spontini, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Mahler, Gaveux, Menotti &Martini
PERFORMER: Regina Resnik (mezzo-soprano), Richard Woitach (piano); Columbia CO/ Jorge Mester
CATALOGUE NO: SMK 60784 Reissue (1968, 1970)
The squeaky clean acoustics of this remastered Sixties studio recording, and some heavy opening piano percussiveness, are initially disconcerting. But this is a wonderfully fresh, imaginative recital programme, on which the superb American mezzo lavishes all her gifts of rich dramatic colouring. She swaps easily between exquisite French (Rameau, Gaveaux), Italian (Spontini, Martini) and Spanish rarities (Turina’s Homenaje a Lope de Vega is fabulously well characterised), brings deep pathos to Prokofiev’s darkly terrifying ballad settings of Akhmatova and Balmont, uncovers rare Tchaikovsky, displays a Fassbaender-like empathy for Mahler, and socks you between the eyes as Menotti’s The Medium. A must for collectors. Roderic Dunnett