Composer: Samuel Barber
Performer: Dylan Perez, Samantha Clarke, Soraya Mafi, Louise Kemény, Mary Bevan, Fleur Barron, Jess Dandy, Nicky Spence, Dominic Sedgewick, Julien Van Mellaerts, William Thomas, Navarra String Quartet
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Resonus
Catalogue: RES10301
Release: 2022
Size: 2.71 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
CD 01
Three Songs, Op. 2
01. I. The Daisies
02. II. With Rue My Heart is Laden
03. III. Bessie Bobtail
Three Songs, Op. 10
04. I. Rain Has Fallen
05. II. Sleep Now
06. III. I Hear an Army
Four Songs, Op. 13
07. I. A Nun Takes the Veil
08. II. The Secrets of the Old
09. III. Sure On This Shining Night
10. IV. Nocturne
Two Songs, Op. 18
11. I. The Queen’s Face on the Summery Coin
12. II. Monks and Raisins
13. Nuvoletta, Op. 25
Mélodies passagères, Op. 27
14. I. Puisque tout passe
15. II. Un cygne
16. III. Tombeau dans un parc
17. IV. Le clocher chante
18. V. Départ
Hermit Songs, Op. 29
19. I. At Saint Patrick’s Purgatory
20. II. Church Bell at Night
21. III. St. Ita’s Vision
22. IV. The Heavenly Banquet
23. V. The Crucifixion
24. VI. Sea-Snatch
25. VII. Promiscuity
26. VIII. The Monk and His Cat
27. IX. The Praises of God
28. X. The Desire for Hermitage
Despite and Still, Op. 41
29. I. A Last Song
30. II. My Lizard
31. III. In the Wilderness
32. IV. Solitary Hotel
33. V. Despite and Still
Three Songs, Op. 45
34. I. Now Have I Fed and Eaten Up the Rose
35. II. A Green Lowland of Pianos
36. III. O Boundless, Boundless Evening
CD 02
Three Songs (The Words from Old England)
01. I. Lady, When I Behold the Roses
02. II. An Earnest Suite to His Unkind Mistress Not to Forsake Him
03. III. Hey Nonny No!
Two Poems of the Wind
04. I. Little Children of the Wind
05. II. Longing
Two Songs of Youth
06. I. Invocation to Youth
07. II. I Never Thought That Youth Would Go
08. Love’s Caution
09. Night Wanderers
10. Beggar’s Song
11. Music, When Soft Voices Die
12. A Slumber Song of the Madonna
13. Fantasy in Purple
14. La nuit
15. Of That So Sweet Imprisonment
16. In the Dark Pinewood
17. Strings in the Earth and Air
18. Ask Me To Rest
19. Au clair de la lune
20. Mother I Cannot Mind My Wheel
21. Love at the Door
22. Man
23. Serenader
24. Peace
25. Who Carries Corn and Crown
26. Watchers
27. Thy Love
28. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
29. There’s nae lark
30. Dover Beach, Op. 3
31. Knoxville: Summer of 1915
Featuring a stellar cast of performers, and curated by pianist Dylan Perez, this complete anthology of Samuel Barber’s songs present those works published during his lifetime, together with those published posthumously, some of which are recorded here for the first time. Barber was clear as to what he wanted from very early in his life, and this strength of character and courage to follow his path is heard throughout Barber’s significant contribution to the genre. At a time when American classical music was heavily influenced by experimentalism, Barber’s inclination for “traditional” harmony and melody helped set him apart. Barber’s vocal music demonstrates the ease he finds in the marriage of text and music.
The Navarra String Quartet join the line-up for Dover Beach, Op. 3.