During modernist rule, just a few works by Samuel Barber were played, for those pesky audiences insisted on hearing them. Now he is recognized as a 20th century great in Britain and even continental Europe as well as in his native U.S. Yet until now, no one has collected his complete songs, although he wrote a lot of them in all phases of his career. For an accompanist as young as pianist Dylan Perez, putting together a multi-singer album united by his presence may seem a bold move, but his choice is justified by the ...
Read More
During modernist rule, just a few works by Samuel Barber were played, for those pesky audiences insisted on hearing them. Now he is recognized as a 20th century great in Britain and even continental Europe as well as in his native U.S. Yet until now, no one has collected his complete songs, although he wrote a lot of them in all phases of his career. For an accompanist as young as pianist Dylan Perez, putting together a multi-singer album united by his presence may seem a bold move, but his choice is justified by the material. The songs cover Barber's entire career, from his student days to the 1970s, and few of them are without some point of interest. Dover Beach, Op. 3, for voice and string quartet, is one of Barber's most popular compositions and is present here, cleanly rendered by Julian Van Mellaerts; there is also a rarely heard piano version of Barber's familiar orchestral song here titled Knoxville 1915, but much of the material will be new to listeners. The first CD of the physical release...
Read Less
