CD REVIEW
– BRYN TERFEL - Dreams and
Songs
Deutsche
Grammophon 4835514 (47:40)
The Welsh-born
bass-baritone (born 1965) is a
knight of the realm and an
internationally renowned opera
singer, but this album –
which has been high in the charts
– is Terfel-lite. The big
man sings I Believe, The
Fields of Athenry, If I Were a
Rich Man, Trees, the traditional
Ar Lan Y Mor, Charles Chaplin's
Smile, and Flanders and
Swann's The Hippopotamus Song.
Sir Karl Jenkins
has written The Shepherd Poet
of Passchendaele especially
for him and this is its premiere
recording. He duets on the
remaining six tracks with a
stellar line-up of other artists:
Alfie Boe on John Denver's Perhaps
Love, Dame Emma Thompson on Do
You Love Me? (from 'Fiddler
on The Roof'), his wonderful
fellow opera star the
lyric-soprano Danielle de Niese
on Amazing Grace,
Katherine Jenkins on Tell My
Father (from 'The Civil
War'), the popular Maltese
tenor Joseph Calleja on Granada,
and actor/comedian/presenter Rob
Brydon on The Golfer's Lament
written by Albert Hay Malotte,
known for his setting of The
Lord's Prayer.
The soloists are
well supported throughout by the
Czech Philharmonic or Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra and Metro
Voices under Paul Bateman, the
new principal conductor of the
National Symphony Orchestra. This
is a quality release although it
is a pity that Sir Bryn's first
album for five years should not
have been longer.
Nevertheless,
strongly recommended for some
interesting items and splendid
singing.
If you like the
look of the above you might also
be interested in Katherine
Jenkins' latest album Guiding
Light (Decca 4817274),
with among the 15 tracks the
likes of the title song, Jealous
Of The Angels, Blinded By Your
Grace and To Where You
Are, as well as familiar
titles such as Morning Has
Broken (with Bryn Terfel), Gaelic
Blessing by John Rutter, Make
Me A Channel Of Your Peace, Come
Thou Fount Of Every Blessing,
Eternal Father Strong To Save,
Nearer My God To Thee, and Peace
In The Valley.
A lovely album
from a lovely artist.
© Peter
Burt 2018
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