Amy Beach: Chanson D'Amour

Amy Beach: Chanson D'Amour

Amy Beach: Chanson D'Amour
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CD Details

Composer: Amy Beach
Orchestra: The Romantic Chamber Group of London
Performer: Emma Kirkby
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2002-03-26
Music Label: Bis
Soundtracks:
  1. Ecstasy, Op.19 No.2 For Soprano, Violin And Piano
  2. Chanson D'Amour For Soprano, Cello And Piano
  3. A Mirage, Op.100 No.1 For Soprano And Piano Trio
  4. Stella Viatoris, Op.100 No.2 For Soprano And Piano Trio
  5. Rendezvous, For Soprano, Violin And Piano
  6. Three Browning Songs, Op.44 For Soprano And Piano: I. The Year's At The Spring
  7. Three Browning Songs, Op.44 For Soprano, Violin And Piano: II. Ah, Love, But A Day!
  8. Three Browning Songs, Op.44 For Soprano And Piano: III. I Send My Heart Up To Thee!
  9. Romance For Violin And Piano
  10. Three Shakespeare Songs, Op.37 For Soprano And Piano: I. O Mistress Mine
  11. Three Shakespeare Songs, Op.37 For Soprano And Piano: II. Take, O Take Those Lips Away
  12. Three Shakespeare Songs, Op.37 For Soprano And Piano: III. Fairy Lullaby
  13. Piano Trio In A Minor, Op.150: I. Allegro
  14. Piano Trio In A Minor, Op.150: II. Lento Espressivo
  15. Piano Trio In A Minor, Op.150: III. Allegro Con Brio
  16. Nahe Des Geliebten, Op.35 No.3 For Soprano And Piano
  17. Ich Sagte Nicht, Op.51 No.1 For Soprano And Piano
  18. Wir Drei, Op.51 No.2 For Soprano And Piano
  19. Je Demande A I'oiseau, Op.51 No.4 For Soprano And Piano
  20. Canzonetta, Op.48 No.4 For Soprano And Piano
  21. Elle Et Moi, Op.21 No.3 For Soprano And Piano

Music reviews of Amy Beach: Chanson D'Amour

Music Review: Early music specialist shines in romantic repetoire.
Rating: 5 Stars

Like everybody else, I only know Emma Kirkby from her early music recordings for which she has become pretty much THE soprano of that genre. To hear her handle romantic repetoire with such elegance is quite an unexpected surprise. The quality of the voice is not of the florid type we associate with the romantic period at all. At times it reminds one of a choir boy, which is not surprising considering her background but it is her technique in these songs that is the real revelation. As most listeners might know, early music is usually sung without vibrato (although not all singers follow this convention) and perhaps this is why Miss Kirkby is able to use vibrato with such finesse and nuance. The dynamic range in early music is also very restricted in comparison with later music and again Miss Kirkby's dynamics are superb. Her pianissimi seem to float on air. Again I am reminded of the pure sound of a choir boy floating through a cathedral. Splendid, and it was nice to find a disc devoted to Mrs. H.H.A. Beach's music (as she chose to call herself).

Description of Amy Beach: Chanson D'Amour

Emma Kirkby, doyenne of the Early Music scene, here shows that she's just as comfortable in music of a more recent vintage. Amy Beach was a woman ahead of her time, performing as solo pianist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra by the age of 18. The same year (1885), she married Henry Beach and, no longer able to perform publicly (it would have gone against her social status), she instead settled down to composing. And delightful stuff it is, too, as Kirkby and friends demonstrate in this charming recital.

A number of the songs add violin, cello, or both to the piano and voice combination. "Ecstasy," for instance, has a most effective violin part that is an ideal foil to the purity of Kirkby's voice. Other highlights include the Schumannesque Browning Songs and the amiable Shakespeare Songs (the last of which, "Fairy Lullaby," is irresistible). The final item here, "Elle et moi," is an upbeat little number that suits Kirkby's lithe soprano to perfection. Occasionally, in some of the more lushly textured songs, such as "A Mirage" and "Stella Viatoris," perhaps a fuller voice would have been preferable, but then sample "Chanson d'amour" (written when Beach was only 21 and with a wonderful cello part in addition to the piano) and try to imagine it being better sung. The purely instrumental items are played with unfailing sensitivity and elegance. The Romance is straight out of the salon, while the much later Piano Trio (though actually based on early material) packs plenty of emotion and variety into its 14 minutes. The recording is exemplary, as are the concise notes and texts and translations. --Harriet Smith

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