Chanson d'avril: French Chansons and Melodies
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Georges Bizet, (Marie Eugène) Henri Duparc, Maurice Ravel, Franz Liszt
Genre:
Vocal
Label: Delos
Magazine Review Date: 11/2014
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 65
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: DE3450
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Adieux de l'hôtesse arabe |
Georges Bizet, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Georges Bizet, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Ouvre ton coeur (La marguerite a fermé) |
Georges Bizet, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Georges Bizet, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Pastorale |
Georges Bizet, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Georges Bizet, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Chanson d'avril |
Georges Bizet, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Georges Bizet, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
(L')Invitation au voyage |
(Marie Eugène) Henri Duparc, Composer
(Marie Eugène) Henri Duparc, Composer Craig Terry, Piano Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Chanson triste |
(Marie Eugène) Henri Duparc, Composer
(Marie Eugène) Henri Duparc, Composer Craig Terry, Piano Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Au pays où se fait la guerre |
(Marie Eugène) Henri Duparc, Composer
(Marie Eugène) Henri Duparc, Composer Craig Terry, Piano Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Enfant, si j'étais roi |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Franz Liszt, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Oh! quand je dors |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Franz Liszt, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
S'il est un charmant gazon |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Franz Liszt, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Comment, disaient-ils |
Franz Liszt, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Franz Liszt, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Shéhérazade, Movement: Asïe |
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Maurice Ravel, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Shéhérazade, Movement: La flûte enchantée |
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Maurice Ravel, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Shéhérazade, Movement: L'indifférent |
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Maurice Ravel, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
(5) Mélodies populaires grecques |
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Craig Terry, Piano Maurice Ravel, Composer Nicole Cabell, Soprano |
Author: Alexandra Coghlan
‘Chanson d’avril’ capitalises on Cabell’s flair for French repertoire, exploring a selection of chansons and mélodies by Bizet, Duparc, Liszt and Ravel. Ideas of the exotic recur throughout, whether in Bizet’s ‘Hôtesse arabe’ or Ravel’s Shéhérazade, evocatively drawn by Cabell’s new depth and range of tone. What was once a supple lyric voice is now heading towards the more muscular lirico-spinto territory and it’s a shift exploited fully – at times a little too fully – here.
The two Ravel works – Shéhérazade and Cinq mélodies populaires grecques – are outstanding, finding a range of colour lacking elsewhere. Cabell moves from bell-like sonorities in ‘L’indifférent’ to a muted, hazy loveliness for ‘Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisque’, before ending the cycle with a throwaway shrug of vocal sophistication in ‘Tout gai’, efficiently supported by Craig Terry at the piano.
Both the Liszt and Duparc songs however suffer from a little too much force, too much weight in the sound, sacrificing the smaller details of textual nuance – so crucial in the Duparc, especially – for heft. Diction lacks definition, getting all but swept away by a very active vibrato.
Cabell’s instrument is only improving and gaining personality, while her musical choices are becoming more creative. ‘Chanson d’avril’ is not her most polished album but it is surely a step towards something more interesting than her easy, early polish.
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