Hobson displays his musical versatility.
10/12/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Australian tenor/composer David Hobson is probably best known for his memorable Rodolfo in Baz Luhrmann's legendary production of La Boheme, and as an acclaimed Orphee in the newly released DVD of the rarely performed 1774 Orphee et Eurydice - both for Opera Australia - but his work as a recording artist is scarcely known outside his own country. However, since 1997 - when he and fellow composer David Hirschfelder collaborated on a CD of their own compositions ('Inside This Room', released in 1999 and re-issued in 2002) - Hobson has been a regular visitor to the recording studio, and has a growing number of well-received CD albums to his credit.
This recent compilation, drawn mainly from 'French and Italian Arias' (2000), 'Handel Arias' (2002), and 'Cinema Paradiso' (2004), shows that Hobson is just as comfortable singing contemporary and pop music as he is opera, crossing effortlessly between these extremes of style, by way of some favourite Handel arias and Benjamin Britten! (And, in something of a bonus, he is joined by New Zealand baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes in the famous duet from The Pearlfishers.)
Hobson made his own arrangement for 'The Rose', and we also get to hear his compositions 'In questa stanza' (an Italian version of 'Inside This Room', accompanied by David Hirschfelder) and a 1992 TV performance of 'Tomorrow, Tomorrow', from his 1985 music theatre piece Macbeth.
Track list details:
1. Nella fantasia (from The Mission ~ Morricone)
2. Gloomy Winter (from The Piano ~ Nyman/Scottish trad.)
3. When She Loved Me (from Toy Story 2 ~ Newman)
4. Se (from Cinema Paradiso ~ Morricone)
5. Ombra mai fù (from Xerxes ~ Handel)
6. Una furtiva lagrima (from The Elixir of Love ~ Donizetti)
7. Au fond du temple saint (Duet from The Pearlfishers ~ Bizet) [with Teddy Tahu Rhodes]
8. The Rose (from The Rose ~ McBroom, arr. Hobson)
9. In questa stanza (Inside This Room ~ Hobson)
10. Moon River (from Breakfast at Tiffany's ~ Mancini)
11. Silent Worship (from Tolomeo ~ Handel)
12. Che gelida manina (from La Boheme ~ Puccini)
13. When Love Comes By (from Il Postino ~ Bacalov)
14. J'ai perdu mon Eurydice (from Orpheus and Eurydice ~ Gluck)
15. Corpus Christi Carol (from A Boy is Born ~ Britten)
16. And I Love Her (from A Hard Day's Night ~ Lennon/McCartney)
17. Calling You (from Bagdad Cafe ~ Telson)
18. Tomorrow, Tomorrow (from Macbeth ~ Hobson)
This is a very enjoyable introduction to the Hobson CD collection - just increased by an album of French Art Songs - and is hopefully a sign that they will soon become more readily available outside Australia."
Fantastic CD....
D. Pawl | Seattle | 02/26/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"David Hobson is truly a tenor in a class by himself. His beautiful expression in the songs he interprets is like no one else.......PRESENTING DAVID HOBSON is a great cross section of some of the Australian tenor's favorite songs from films and opera. They include the beautiful "Nella Fantasia" from THE MISSION (composed by Ennio Morricone), "Ombra Mai Fu" from the opera XERXES (composed by George Fridric Handel) and "Calling You" from BAGDAD CAFE (composed by Bob Telson). I can't think of words that can begin to describe his beautiful voice. All I know is that whenever I hear David Hobson sing, I feel like my heart comes to life and his music penetrates my soul. You have got to get this. Hobson's albums are hard to come by in the United States and he will deeply move you as much as he has moved me, this I am sure......."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1