Search - Edward MacDowell, James Barbagallo, Steven Tharp :: American Classics - MacDowell: Complete Songs / Tharp, Barbagallo

Good performance of good music

Czinczar | Southeast Michigan, USA | 04/05/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I find less to criticize than others in this music and performance. If you know MacDowell, you know the kinds of things to expect from these songs. Not great music, but still beautiful genteel songs. MacDowell lets the lyricism flow smoothly. Most of the songs float along in the 6/8 rhythm MacDowell used so often. Concentrating on the melodic line, some of the occasional awkwardly thorny harmonies you can find in his miniatures fade into the background. Indeed, some may think the piano is too far in the background here. Too bad, because the late James Barbagallo obviously had quite a gift for MacDowell interpretation. Check out his recordings of MacDowell's solo piano works. What of tenor Tharp? Some may find his voice a little too thin, with a bit too much vibrato. But I say the songs are well sung regardless. Maybe the problem is that the songs really required a woman's voice. But what's done is done. These complete songs needed to be recorded, and this performance quite adequate, reservations notwithstanding. Over all, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this recording."