Here are the items that we found.
Heather Harper
Heather Harper was an artist who was equally comfortable on the opera and the concert stage. Here we have assembled excerpts from an array of concerts and recitals in which she performed during the early 1970s. The highlight for me is a stunning rendition of Ravel's Shéhérazade. There are only a few singers I can think who were as successful pulling of the Straussian soaring lines of the opening number, "Asie", as well as the delicate vulnerability of the final number, "L'indifferent". The great discovery for me is a set of early Britten songs, set from poems by Victor Hugo and Paul Verlaine. Although there are traces of what would become his mature style, to my ear, they show a direct influence to Alban Berg. And speaking of Britten, he lends his skills as a pianist to Der Hirt auf dem Felsen by Schubert. One of the recitals also features bass, Michael Langdon in songs by Schoenberg and Brahms. None to mention.
Track List
Der Hirt auf dem Felsen (Schubert)
1. Wenn auf dem höchsten Fels ich steh
2. In tiefem Gram verzehr’ ich mich
3. Der Frühling will kommen
Benjamin Britten, piano
Thea King, clarinet
1972
2. In tiefem Gram verzehr’ ich mich
3. Der Frühling will kommen
Benjamin Britten, piano
Thea King, clarinet
1972
4. Der Wachtelschlag (Beethoven)
5. Wonne der Wehmut (Beethoven)
6. Dank (Schoenberg)*
7. Verrath (Brahms)*
8. Die Allmacht (Schubert)
Ernest Lush, piano
*Michael Langdon, bass
June 14, 1971
5. Wonne der Wehmut (Beethoven)
6. Dank (Schoenberg)*
7. Verrath (Brahms)*
8. Die Allmacht (Schubert)
Ernest Lush, piano
*Michael Langdon, bass
June 14, 1971
Early Songs in French (Benjamin Britten)
9. Nuits de juin
10. Sagesse
11. L'enfance
12. Chanson d'automne
English Chamber Orchestra
Steuart Bedford, conductor
10. Sagesse
11. L'enfance
12. Chanson d'automne
English Chamber Orchestra
Steuart Bedford, conductor
Shéhérazade (Ravel)
13. Asie
14. La flûte enchantée
15. L'indifférent
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Bernard Haitink, conductor
December 21, 1972
14. La flûte enchantée
15. L'indifférent
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Bernard Haitink, conductor
December 21, 1972
Customer Reviews
Share your experience with fellow collectors
Share Your Experience
A star rating alone is welcome, and reviews may be written in any language.
5.0
Based on 1 review
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Wonderful Singer and Musician!
Was there anything Heather Harper couldn't sing well? In this collection, Harper demonstrates how chameleon-like she was as a recitalist and concert singer in non-operatic repertoire.She was, perhaps unjustly, pegged as a Britten specialist early on. Here she opens with Schubert's delectable Hirt auf dem Felsen accompanied by Britten himself with the renowned clarinetist Thea King. They give a joyous performance, yet one that doesn't neglect the melancholy aspects of the text. Next we have five songs by several composers, two sung by the famous bass Michael Langdon. It's great to hear him in something besides Wagner and Strauss. He justifies his high reputation among music lovers with his sensitive handling of the poems.Britten's youthful Four French Songs are given a lovely performance by Harper. The disc closes with Ravel's sensuous, almost erotic Scheherazade. Harper shows again how fluent she was in various languages and styles.The sound is excellent though the middle group of songs from 1971 is slightly muffled. If you're an admirer of Harper, you'll love this disc.
Report
