Gabriel Fauré: Mélodies / Barbara Hendricks

Alto Nathalie Stutzmann brings her deep rich voice to Gabriel Faure’s songs, including maybe his most famous set, the Five Venetian Songs. I’ve enjoyed Stutzmann’s other recordings, including an often very beautiful Robert and Clara Schumann collection she did for RCA at around the same time as this Faure release. This disc has some fine moments, not surprising as Strutzmann is a gifted singer, but at other times I find her voice doesn’t match the content well.One such mismatch is the lovely “Roses of Isfahan”, a graceful and light song Faure wrote in 1884. Stutzmann’s rich alto sound isn’t quite flexible enough to handle the quicker notes with the delicacy I’ve heard elsewhere, such as in Frederica von Stade’s wonderful “Roses” (on EMI). I found the same flaw elsewhere. In “Nell”, “Always” (“Toujours”) or Faure’s first published song, “The Butterly and the Flower”, which need a bit more deftness than Stutzmann’s “dramatic” voice can bring.I don’t want to exaggerate this criticism; there is a lot of very nice singing here. Some of the more luscious and reflective songs come off beautifully, like that masterpiece “The cradles,” which receives a sultry rendition from Stutzmann. Another lyrical song, “Muted” (“En Sourdine”) from the Five Venetian Songs (1891) is done very well, Stutzmann performing the song with love and using her higher range very nicely in the song’s “muted” central section and a concluding on a terrific and soft final high note.Catherine Collard accompanies Stutzmann, benefitting the result. I very much liked how Collard marries delicacy with a sense of impact and drama in “Muted” and the final song in the Venetian Songs, “Ecstasy” (“C’est l’extase”) is a fine example of a singer and accompanist playing off of each other’s lines.Audio engineering is quite good. I obviously don’t think this recording is perfect but its flaws are limited. On the plus side, it contains many of Faure’s best songs and has some really very nice performances from Stutzmann and Collard.

American soprano Barbara Hendricks and pianist Michael Dalberto collaborate on a strong collection of songs by Gabriel Faure. Hendricks includes the entire song cycle "La bonne chanson" from 1894 as well as the shorter Op. 21, 23 and 27 sets and some famous individual songs, such as "Apres un reve", "The rose of Isfahan" and "At the edge of the water." The selections are well chosen and contain many beautiful songs by Faure. The disc emphasizes Faure's earlier 19th-century work and omits some of his more abstruse, difficult songs from the 20th century.Hendricks has a lovely voice and clearly has a connection to the songs, which she takes from a more dramatic perspective. Performance negatives include a tendency to over-sing the higher passages. An example of this is in "Fleur jete" (track 10), which Hendricks attacks as almost an operatic number; I think a more understated approach would have served better. Dalberto tends to emphasize percussive aspects of the piano part, while I'd prefer a gentler, lyrical interpretation. However, Dalberto does very well in the concluding "La bonne chanson." I don't think I've heard a better piano performance of the 7th song from the cycle ("Donc, ce sera", track 26). This may be heresy but I enjoyed Hendricks and Dalberto doing "La bonne chanson" more than my other recordings, the highly-regarded recordings by Charles Panzera and by Gerard Souzay. The cycle is very musical, more structurally delineated and clear than these other two versions, resulting in what for me was a more interesting listening experience. The structural clarity was appreciated as I find this cycle to be quite difficult from a listening perspective.So this is a five-star performance, with an outstanding "La bonne chanson" and some lovely singing off-set by some flaws. My favorite collection of Faure songs continues to be another EMI release from Frederica von Stade, but the item under review here is a solid, satisfying CD. (By the way, if you like Hendricks' singing, make sure to get her doing Bizet's "Pearl Fishers" with John Aler.)

Barbara Hendricks recording is accurate, beautifully sung and a great example of Faure's lovely songs. I give this CD an A+ and a wonderful example of singing for anyone who is trying to learn and perfect Faure's songs.

I am happy with my purchase.

I have been a lover of Barbara Hendricks' singing ever since picking up this CD over 25 years ago. This remains my favorite of all her CDs. Her voice is in full bloom. She's able to communicate the feelings behind the words with great warmth and naturalness. To this very day, her performances of "Apres Un Reve," "Automne," "Le Secret," and "Les Berceaux" bring tears to my eyes. If you're looking for a very fine CD of Faure songs, I would highly recommend this one to you.La Secret and Les Berceuse bring tears to my eyes.

Some critics have said that her vocal capabilities are limited. To be quite honest, I don't know if that's true or not, but whatever gifts God has given her, she exploits them to the full. This is a very good recital of Faure's songs, one of the best I've heard in fact (and I've heard quite a few.)Dalberto is also very good.Yes, highly recommended.

This is a lovely recital -- Hendricks at the height of her powers, singing music she was born to sing, idiomatically and with a gorgeous shimmer to the voice and insinuating inflections that convey Faure's quite particular combination of chaste reserve and sensuality. The famous cycle "La bonne Chanson" may not have all the textual acuity of its recorded rivals, but Hendricks' version of "Les roses d'Ispahan" is worth the price of the disk many times over.

Gabriel Fauré: Mélodies / Barbara Hendricks is a recording starring the vocal skills of Barbara Hendricks and Michel Dalberto on the piano as they perform Fauré's Melodies. Jean Gallois has written the music notes and Mark Valencia has translated them into English. All the lyrics are available. Recommended. 4/5.

Given that these recordings are from 1989 I am astonished that they have not already been reviewed here. To be brief, it is totally, agonizingly beautiful. It is a recording that makes me laugh and exult, and touches the quiet ecstatic parts of one's soul. Subtle, shimmering harmonies in the piano, exquisite shaped and shaded singing. This is just the best.

Great.

Una tesitura en la actualidad poco común, y una sensibilidad e inteligencia en la interpretación excepcionales hacen que sea ineludible la audición de cada obra que saca Stutzman

J'aime beaucoup Fauré, j'aime la poésie...et Barbara Hendricks et Michel Dalberto sont de merveilleux musiciens, autant dire que cet enregistrement m'a éblouï : toutes la lumière et la couleur de l'univers fauréen y resplendit, j'en avais les larmes aux yeux.

Quand on aime Fauré et Nathalie Stutzman, on ne regrette pas cet achat.