This release earned a Best Classical Solo Vocal nomination from the U.S. Grammy Awards for 2018, and its strength is immediately apparent. Art song is often thought of as a repertory mostly for connoisseurs, but American tenor Nicholas Phan not only puts it across convincingly, he has even, as he explains, done so for children and school audiences. The key is the Gods & Monsters program, which is unique, and which indeed appeals to children with its "Things That Go Bump in the Night" section (tracks ten through 13). For ...
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This release earned a Best Classical Solo Vocal nomination from the U.S. Grammy Awards for 2018, and its strength is immediately apparent. Art song is often thought of as a repertory mostly for connoisseurs, but American tenor Nicholas Phan not only puts it across convincingly, he has even, as he explains, done so for children and school audiences. The key is the Gods & Monsters program, which is unique, and which indeed appeals to children with its "Things That Go Bump in the Night" section (tracks ten through 13). For adults, the appeal is that Phan's concept links the whole German Romantic movement together with its focus on supernatural themes, and the music runs from Schubert (and even Beethoven) forward to Mahler and Wolf and back again. Phan's voice is well suited to the intimate concept of the recital, and Avie's engineers, working at the somehow appropriate Skywalker Sound, likewise contribute to the overall effect. Another strength is the tumultuous playing of accompanist Myra Huang, entirely...
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