Search - Ottorino Respighi, Reinild Mees, Andrea Catzel :: Complete Songs 2

Worthy successor to volume I

Barbara Miller | Bellevue, WA United States | 09/10/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This volume continues the project to record Respighi's complete works for piano and voice. It is a worthy successor to its fine predecessor in Volume I, recorded by tenor Leonardo di Lisi and pianist Reinild Mees. Both these artists appear in Volume II, with the addition of soprano Andrea Catzel, whose spinto voice gives admirable drama to songs like "Nebbie" and "Povero Cor", which show the influence of verismo opera. Like its predecessor, this volume incorporates songs from several periods in Respighi's creative development. Besides the verismo, one hears the influences of impressionism in "Sei Liriche" of 1909 and of folk style in the relatively late "Due Canzoni dialettali". There is also the experimental, recitative-like "E se un giorno tornasse". This variety makes the recording interesting to listen to from start to finish.All three artists give fine performances, with careful attention to the details of the music and the stylistic demands of the different songs. The liner notes (in Italian and English) are less extensive than in the first volume of the series. Texts and English translations of the songs are included."