Bonney Changes Course
09/12/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This recording marks a new high for Bonney. While her silvery tone and lyricism have always been more than suffcient to captivate her listeners, Bonney takes risks on this disc like never before. She has a maturity and depth to her sound that makes one realize that her older recordings were more shallow in retrospect. Not only is she willing to step out of the box so many sopranos fall into: of wanting to sound "pretty" all the time; she is aggressive and surprisingly edgy in her interpretations of the Barber set, shockingly frank in the Argento, and convincingly ominous in the closing Previn vocalise. With this disc, Bonney has truly established herself as a force in vocal music, and as the definitive American singer today."
International, and yet local
Santiago Barcon | Mexico city | 02/20/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Mrs. Bonney, born in America but with several years in Europe is able to give us the best of the two worlds.The CD is a masterpiece of fantastic singing and with heart and the freedom that Mr. Previn adds to his piano playing.I bought the CD based in the recommendation of the Gramophone magazine, and again they are right.Previos review gives a good overall picture of the performanceBuy it!"
Excellent album, with some minor quibbles
Stanley D. Wolfersberger | Ohio | 08/13/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"One of my first experiences as an accompanist was to play the Argento Elizabethan songs, and ever since I've had a special affinity for them. That alone was my reason for purchasing this particular disc, and the fact that the Barber Hermit Songs were here was a major bonus!
Bonney does a beautiful job with all the sets presented here, and Previn delivers a perfectly complimentary accompaniment to Bonney's soaring tone.
One thing I found interesting about Bonney was her frequent use of straight tone. I can't verify if she's chosen to do so for interpretive reasons, but there are occasions in all the sets (esp. the Barber and Argento) where I find that it sticks out. In general, her tone is always beautiful, and the lack of vibrancy doesn't affect the pitch or flow of the line. It's a very minor issue, but I feel compelled to mention it for those who may not be expecting this stylistic detail.
At any rate, the repertoire is amazing, and I think this disc is almost essential as the Rubinstein disc I reviewed elsewhere on Amazon. I'm not letting my issue with Bonney's vibrancy take away from the 5-star rating. :)"
Track Listings (30) - Disc #1