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Cheryl Studer, Thomas Hampson, John Browning & Emerson String Quartet - Barber: The Songs Complete (1994)

Cheryl Studer, Thomas Hampson, John Browning & Emerson String Quartet - Barber: The Songs Complete (1994)
  • Title: Barber: The Songs Complete
  • Year Of Release: 1994
  • Label: Deutsche Grammophon (DG)
  • Genre: Classical
  • Quality: FLAC (tracks)
  • Total Time: 1:48:25
  • Total Size: 341 MB
  • WebSite:
Tracklist:

01. A Slumber Song Of The Madonna - Moderato
02. There's Nae Lark - Moderato
03. Love At The Door - Allegro
04. Serenades - Andante con moto
05. Love's Caution - Moderato
06. Night Wanderers
07. Of That So Sweet Imprisonment - Con moto
08. Strings In The Earth And Air - Moderato
09. Beggar's Song - Andante-Allegro moderato
10. In The Dark Pinewood - Moderato
11. No.1 The Daisies - Allegretto con grazie
12. No.2 With Rue My Heart Is Laden - Andante cantabile
13. No.3 Bessie Bobtail - Andante un poco mosso - Adagio
14. No.1 Rain Has Fallen - Moderato
15. No.2 Sleep Now - Andante tranquillo
16. No.3 I Hear An Army - Allegro con fuoco
17. No.1 A Nun Takes The Veil - Broad and sustained
18. No.2 The Secrets Of The Old - Allegro giocoso
19. No.3 Sure On This Shining Night - Andante
20. No.4 Nocturne - Andante,un poco mosso
21. Barber: Dover Beach Op.3
22. The Queen's Face On The Summery Coin -Andante con moto
23. Monks And Raisins - Allegro
24. Barber: Nuvoletta Op.25
25. No.1 Puisque tout passe - Moderato
26. No.2 Un cygne - Moderato
27. No.3 Tombeau dans un parc - Lento e sereno
28. No.4 Le clocher chante - Non troppo allegro
29. No.5 Depart
30. 1. At Saint Patrick's Purgatory
31. 2. Church Bell at Night
32. 3. St. Ita's Vision
33. 4. The Heavenly Banquet
34. 5. The Crucifixion
35. 6. Sea-Snatch
36. 7. Promiscuity
37. 8. The Monk and His Cat
38. 9. The Praises of God
39. 10. The Desire for Hermitage
40. No.1 A Last Song - Moderato
41. No.2 My Lizard - Fast and light
42. No.3 In The Wilderness - Flowing
43. No.4 Solitary Hotel - Like a rather fast tango in 2
44. No.5 Despite and Still - Fast and darkly impassioned
45. No.1 Now I Have Fed And Eaten Up The Rose - Moderato
46. No.2 A Green Lowland Of Pianos - Allegretto con grazia
47. No.3 O Boundless,Boundless Evening - Tranquillo,un poco


This Deutsche Grammophon collection of the songs of American composer Samuel Barber initially made its bow in 1994. In the United States it originally debuted under the poorly chosen title Secrets of the Old, and this was swiftly amended to conform to the regular British version, simply titled Samuel Barber: The Songs. Rather unceremoniously deleted at one point, the set is making its return under the still more simplified Barber: The Songs as a number within the "Gramophone Award Collection," which also offers re-releases from Decca and Philips catalogs, as well. This selection of 47 songs coordinated, annotated, and accompanied by pianist John Browning is not "complete" as the early, withdrawn version of the front cover once announced. But in the decade since its release, none of the other known heretofore unpublished Barber songs have seen the light of day, so this package remains more all-inclusive than any other, and all of the ten "new" Barber songs included are either at or barely below his usual high standard of work.

Of the singer, Cheryl Studer is definitely the weak link in this project. In general her loud, heavy, and somewhat wayward voice is at least tolerable and sometimes her delivery of line and lyric is good; she treats Barber's songs with respect, if not reverence. But one sorely wishes DG had found someone else to sing Sure on This Shining Night; you could go down to the local university music school and find half a dozen sopranos who could do a better job than Studer does here. Thomas Hampson, by comparison, is in fine form throughout, particularly in the Op. 27 songs, Bessie Bobtail and even in the early songs such as Night Wanderers. John Browning melds the whole thing together with his expertly formulated accompaniments, which capture both the letter and spirit of Barber's music. Without him, interest flags; the Hampson and Emerson String Quartet collaboration on Dover Beach, Op. 3, is not a highlight of this collection.

In terms of representing repertoire, some releases can remain at the top of their particular game without being absolutely perfect. Barber: The Songs belongs in this category, but its return to the catalog is nonetheless welcome in any form. ~ Dave Lewis


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