Search - Nelson Eddy :: Nelson Eddy Sings the Stephen Foster Songbook

Find of a Lifetime!

H. L. Clark | Broad Run, VA USA | 12/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 27 years of total immersion in the music of Stephen Foster and the

pre-Civil War era I have never heard the equal of this record. Thirty one

songs and hymns, every one done exactly as written, with awesome musicianship,

beauty of voice, mastery of style, and the most perfect diction, that I have ever heard. And with every re-hearing, my respect and admiration for the artist's achievement goes higher.

No, he's not perfect. In Jeannie, Shanghai and Angelina Baker he lets

his considerable acting abilities shine forth, to fine effect. But in

general he follows the historical accident that Foster did not provide dynamics markings to guide performance until very nearly the end of his

career. Most Foster songs have no more markings than our church hymns.

So dynamics are mostly up to the performer and Eddy is notably subtle in his additions. I personally prefer a much more Romantic era "molto

espressivo" delivery, but principled differences like Eddy's deserve

respect, as having a charm of their own.

The greatest value of this recording, however, is that it gives us a

large number and range of songs sung in the kind of voice Stephen himself

had. A warm, lyric baritone voice, perfectly equalized from one vowel to

another, and up and down between high notes and low. Eddy sings them as if written for his voice because his voice is almost exactly Stephen's. And

when he sings, say, Jeannie, in the original key, we hear what Stephen

put in there for us to hear when he sang it.

The "find" of a lifetime!!"

Wonderful collection of Americana from America's Baritone

Diane P. Flaherty | 08/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Nelson Eddy Sings the Stephen Foster Songbook is a wonderful collection of old Americana songs performed to perfection by America's Baritone, Nelson Eddy."