Although one cannot
fail to be impressed by the distinctive
and commanding voice of Welshman, Bryn
Terfel, it does rather divide opinion.
I regularly attend meetings of a recorded
music society and whenever a Terfel
performance is played the majority of
members will be drooling with pleasure
although one or two others will make
comments about the over-distinctive
nature of the voice. At one time I tended
to favour the opinions of the latter
group holding the view that his voice
tended to excessively dominate the proceedings
and somehow get in the way of the song.
To put it another way when he is singing
a setting Vaughan Williams I hear ‘Terfel
singing Vaughan Williams’ rather than
a ‘Vaughan Williams sung by Terfel’.
Time and experience has mellowed my
viewpoint. I now accept this magnificent,
sturdy and colourful voice for what
it is and concentrate on the manifold
benefits of this unique talent the quality
of which only comes along once in several
generations.
It is difficult to
find fault with this release Silent
Noon which amply demonstrates Terfel’s
wide range of vocal colour. The combination
of one of the world’s most popular and
characterful voices together with an
interesting and attractive selection
of English songs make for an outstanding
recital. This is Terfel’s second disc
of this genre, the first being a critically
acclaimed, award-winning recording from
1995. The earlier disc is entitled The
Vagabond and features songs by Ireland,
Vaughan Williams, Butterworth and Finzi
(Deutsche Grammophon 445 946-2).
The present recital entitled Silent
Noon takes its name from the celebrated
song of the same name by Vaughan Williams.
It also includes settings by Quilter,
Gurney, Somervell, Warlock et al.
Perhaps the popular success of The
Vagabond has given Deutsche Grammophon
the confidence to break away from the
mainstream by including several songs
by lesser known composers: Frederick
Keel, Dilys Elwyn-Edwards and Michael
Head. On a personal note I would have
preferred more settings from my favourite
established masters of the English art-song
tradition: Warlock, Bridge, Delius,
Bantock, especially Gurney and also
Elgar who was a less prolific song-setter.
Nevertheless this recital which includes
several surprises is also delightful
and fascinating.
In addition to Terfel’s
renowned rich, oaken-hued and sonorous
voice, his performances particularly
in the genre of opera demonstrate to
best advantage the outstanding dramatic
power of his voice. The majority of
these songs are of a softer, more joyous
or poignant nature. Terfel’s vocal strength
and characterful performance is expertly
displayed in several of the settings
namely Keel’s Mother Carey and
in Somervell’s The street sounds
to the soldiers’ tread and On
the idle hill of summer.
Family members remarked
on the clarity of Terfel’s diction on
this release; an attribute which, together
with his almost watertight control,
is easy to take for granted. However,
no one, Terfel included, is without
their idiosyncrasies. I am conscious
of the bass-baritone’s tendency to place
only a modest emphasis on the pronunciation
of his word endings and a habit to sometimes
roll his Rs; which some may find irritating.
The only other blemish of note for me
in this recital is the wobble in Head’s
Money, O! which seems to be the
song that Terfel is least comfortable
with.
The singer’s dynamic
range is quite superb. He can float
his voice delicately and effortlessly
like a seagull on a thermal as in Gurney’s
Sleep and Parry’s Love is
a bable. Where necessary he can
build up with an organic power akin
to a volcano erupting. Listen to him
in Quilter’s Blow, blow, thou winter
wind.
In Britten’s popular
folksong arrangement, The foggy,
foggy dew Terfel’s presence and
personality sparkle through. It is easy
to see why he has achieved such remarkable
popularity with audiences. My particular
favourite songs are those of Gurney’s
Sleep, Vaughan Williams’ Silent
Noon and Linden Lea together
with Quilter’s Now sleep the crimson
petal. All convey gentle beauty
and poignancy with a consummate sensitivity
and expressiveness that sent a shiver
down my spine. One could not ask for
any more of the piano accompanist Malcolm
Martineau who displays a remarkable
affinity with the music and seems to
breathe as one with Terfel.
Although I have a comprehensive
collection of recordings of English
songs, relative comparisons with this
Terfel recital are difficult as the
programmes of each recital vary considerably
as does the category of voice. However,
for those looking for some alternative
recordings to explore I can highly recommend
any of the following recitals; that
use only a piano or minimal accompaniment:
The English Songbook
sung by Ian Bostridge (tenor) accompanied
by Julius Drake on EMI 5 56830 2
Songs by Peter Warlock
sung by John Mark Ainsley (tenor)
accompanied by Roger Vignoles on Hyperion
CDA66736
Severn Meadows -
Songs by Ivor Gurney sung by Paul
Agnew (tenor) accompanied by Julius
Drake on Hyperion CDA67243
War’s Embers - Songs
by Browne, Butterworth, Farrar, Finzi,
Gurney and Kelly sung by Martyn
Hill (tenor), Stephen Varcoe (baritone),
Michael George (bass) accompanied by
Clifford Benson on Hyperion CDD22026
When I was one and
twenty - Butterworth and Gurney Songs
sung by Benjamin Luxon (baritone)
accompanied by David Willison on Chandos
CHAN 8831
Roger Quilter -
The English Song Series Vol. 5 sung
by Lisa Milne (soprano), Anthony Rolfe
Johnson (tenor) accompanied by Graham
Johnson and The Duke Quartet on Naxos
8.557116
Songs of Travel
- Robert Tear songs by Vaughan Williams
and Parry sung by Robert Tear (tenor)
accompanied by Philip Ledger on Belart
461 493-2
This excellent Terfel
recital seems to conclude unsatisfactorily
and in rather a flat mood. Ideally the
selection of a more up-beat concluding
song would have offered a more stirring
climax such as Gurney’s Ha’nacker
Mill, Parry’s No longer mourn
for me or Warlock’s Passing by.
The sound quality I found to be first
class, well balanced and most naturally
recorded. The annotation, which includes
full texts, is of a high standard although
it is annoying not to have the tracks
listed numerically on the rear of the
case. Instead you have to take out the
booklet and look inside to identify
each song.
It is a privilege to
hear such a glorious voice in this wonderful
repertoire. I look forward to another
volume in the future. A quite superb
release.
Michael Cookson
see also review
by Em
Marshall
Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone), Malcolm Martineau
(piano) 
