Fragile Beauty
Jules Massenet
art songs -
captivate
GERALD FENECH'Shudong Braamse has the perfect voice for this repertoire ...'
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The French mélodie, very much like the German Lied, is defined by great attention both to the expression of the text and the musical accompaniment that complements the vocal line. Being the composer of some of the greatest French operatic masterpieces like Werther and Manon, Massenet could not fail to bring his genius to this delicate musical genre, placing the beauty of the voice at the centre of each song while weaving a dramatic framework with the piano.
The mélodies on this recording, which comprise about one tenth of the composer's output of songs, display key elements of Massenet's operatic style. In Hugh MacDonald's observations, what might seem to be lean accompaniments on first hearing are indeed the well-placed punctuation of recitative and underscorings of arioso normally associated with the composer's orchestra...
Copyright © 14 February 2016
Gerald Fenech,
Gzira, Malta
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