“The proper place for the performance of vocalises is in the singing studios” wrote a critic in The Musical Times of January 1934 (the object of his reprimand was Conchita Supervia who had introduced an aria by Rossini into one of her concert programmes). We take a less severe view these days, and personally I would not complain if a whole CD were devoted to Concone’s exercises sung as agreeably as are the various items in this recital by Natalie Dessay. But of course the Musical Times critic would probably claim that most of the items here are a different matter, not truly vocalises at all for the most part, the ones by Ravel and Rachmaninov being of altogether more musical interest than the scales and roulades of Rossini. Presumably the Proch variations would come nearest to his idea, though even these seem less vacuous in their present reincarnation, Lucia di Lammermoor’s “Verranno a te” melody making an unexpected and enriching appearance towards the end. The Gliere Concerto seems to me an insipid piece of work but no doubt has its admirers. The rest, especially Saint-Saens’s lovely ‘song without words’ in Parysatis, are heard with enjoyment.
As we know, Dessay is a singer of great skill, gifted with a voice that extends with ease well into the topmost regions. In Les filles de Cadix she whistles up to the F sharp in alt (not that one really wants her to do so in this instance), and it is pleasing to note that she remains firm and effective in the middle register. Her trills tend to be shallow but she has admirable fluency and her articulation of staccato is spectacular. The timbre itself seems less resourceful: she has not the silky tone for Rachmaninov or the sensuous richness for Granados and Ravel. Probably the most charming performance is that of Dell’Acqua’s Villanelle, the melody sounding sweet and dreamy, the ‘vocalise’ element perfectly fit for public audition. The Berlin Symphony Orchestra seem sympathetically disposed, and the recorded sound is fine. '