If asked to think of a tenor whose voice has something
of the timbre of Peter Pears, Anthony Rolfe Johnson’s would not immediately
have come to my mind. But there are times when listening to this Hyperion
reissue when he very nearly achieves Pears’ distinctive tone colouring.
It isn’t easy to sing these songs when their creators’ own recordings
act as immovable benchmarks. Listen to their HMV recording of the Michelangelo
"Sonnets" and you hear Britten and Pears expressing their
feelings for each other. How do perform these songs convincingly without
that dynamic?
The songs on this CD cover a period of thirteen fertile
years from 1940 to 1953. The Michelangelo love sonnets were written
during the couple’s stay in America in 1940. These are the first songs
which Britten wrote for Pears. There are seven of them, all passionate;
but for non-Italian speakers, with the passion masked by the Italian
language. They make full use of Pears’ special type of coloratura, which
Rolfe Johnson is able to match near-perfectly.
The First Canticle dates from 1947 and this time the
composer’s feelings are not hidden by a foreign language – even its
title proclaims this: "My beloved is mine and I am his". But
the object of Francis Quarles’ love was not another man, but his own
God. Britten clearly found the text irresistible: "He gives me
wealth; I give him all my vows / I give him songs, he gives me length
of days". Again, Pears’ coloratura tenor is emphasised, and Rolfe
Johnson brings it off perfectly.
With the four folksong settings we move back to the
years in America. Love is once more the theme, but this time there is
tragedy. Rolfe Johnson’s poise and control in "Down by the Salley
Gardens" is very beautiful indeed – in sheer quality of tone he
is an easy match for Pears.
The Hardy settings, "Winter Words" date from
1952 when Britten’s style was becoming sparser. These are not the love
songs of a young man, but those of one who is approaching middle-age,
with its questions and uncertainties. The cycle opens and closes with
songs reflecting on the passage of time. In "At day-close in November"
the singer reflects on the trees he planted in "June time"
which now "obscure the sky". The final song, "Before
Life and After", ends with the question "Ere nescience shall
be reaffirmed / How long, how long?". Rolfe Johnson sings these
well, but his young-sounding voice is much less convincing here. It
needs one with more weight.
And what of Graham Johnson’s "role" as Britten?
He plays wonderfully with great subtlety throughout these songs.
The recording is excellent, well-balanced and well-focused.
Hyperion is to be congratulated on providing full notes on the songs,
together with texts and translations.
Chris Goddard
Anthony Rolfe Johnson
(tenor), Graham Johnson (piano) 
