Huffington Post contributor Sean Martinfield takes “A Time Out” with Isabel Leonard to talk about her June 4-6 performances with the San Francisco Symphony and her new Preludios CD:
Timing being everything, Isabel’s new CD, Preludios, was released the day we spoke. “I’m just super proud of it,” said Isabel. “It’s very fun music. It’s all Spanish music. I picked all of it. Along with other songs, a lot of it is repertoire that started with my very first Spanish song cycle, de Falla’s ‘Canciones populares españolas’. The CD is for everyone.”
The order of the songs would make a perfect live concert, especially with the mood enhancing effects provided by Isabel’s accompanist Brian Zeger. A number of high points include Track 1, Sólo las flores sobre ti (Only the flowers over you), a compelling introduction to the sheer beauty of Isabel’s voice. Her phrasing is exquisite, the melody is haunting. It is a song of mourning and an intimate message of love. Track 4, Oracion De Las Madres Que Tienen A Sus Hijos En Brazos (Prayer of mothers holding their sons in their arms) is a profound and familiar plea, “Sweet Jesus, I beg you… That my son not be made a soldier.” If digital recordings were like vinyl, then I’ll be wearing out Track 9, Jota – by Manuel de Falla. The flirtation is irresistible, the lover’s desire is clear. “Although your mother may not like it.” Track 14, is the well-known Clavelitos (Little Carnations) by Joaquín Valverde. It is the best rendition ever recorded. More importantly, Isabel Leonard stirs up curiosity and longing for the composer’s other works.
“The very last track on the album [Arrorro Mi Nene] is the lullaby I sing to my son every night. It’s a great album to get people enticed into listening to lullabies. I plan on doing a lullaby CD at some point – to get people interested in all kinds of music. My mother is from Argentina. So, I have a heavy Spanish influence in my background. This is repertoire I feel very close to. It’s something about the harmonics and the way the music is constructed. It taps into my heartstrings.”
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