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SIR CHARLES VILLIERS STANFORD:
Complete Songs Vol. 1.
Stephen Varcoe: baritone, Clifford Benson: piano.
Hyperion CDA67123 78m DDD.
Crotchet  Amazon UK 

Another splendid issue devoted to English song comes along and it is my pleasure to report that Hyperion's usual standard in this repertoire remains constantly splendid. We have some of Stanford's finest settings here from the classic 'La Belle Dame sans merci' to the merry 'Trottin to the Fair'. That latter song had already appeared on an old Hyperion LP and is comfortably snuggled in another splendid reissue of Stanford songs on the Campion Cameo label. But I shall not be impertinent to state that Varcoe and Benson comfortably outclass that recording in this well filled issue. The Eight Heine songs Op. 4 and 7 are filled with a wonderful zest and richness that makes you feel good to be alive! I also enjoyed the even rarer 'Glens of Atrim' songs by Moira O' Neill, extremely sensitive and at times erotic texts matched by some peerlessly constructed music. 'The Spanish Gypsy' by George Eliot is probably the masterpiece on disc, both for its continuously inspired lyricism and for the qualitative musical ideas that match the text. It is also safe to report that Varcoe reserves great dashes of unhallowed emotion for these richly romanticized pieces. Stanley's 'The Tomb' is also colourful, the premonitions of death rather 'Khorassan' like in their almost farcical solemnity. A clear intimate recording made in Rosslyn Hill Chapel enables both singer and pianist to provide us with a near perfect rendering of their inspirational camaderie and this is matched by a suitably thick booklet containing full texts and Jeremy Dibble's masterly annotations that greatly enrich our knowledge of this beautiful repertoire. I cannot but give a wholehearted and earnest recommendation to this starting point of what looks to be another treasurable English song project.

Reviewer

Gerald Fenech

Performance:


Sound:

See also review by Chris Howell

review of Volume 2


Reviewer

Gerald Fenech

Performance:


Sound:


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