The Arts Desk reviews Jamie Barton’s Wigmore Hall debut and her new All Who Wander recording:
“This was her Wigmore Hall debut, more or less coinciding with the release of her first CD of songs by Mahler, Dvořák and Sibelius, entitled All Who Wander. The album has a linking theme, as explained in Barton’s extensive liner notes: to find one’s inner gypsy, and to “break free from the trappings of society”. It is a telling, promising statement. Perhaps the song on the record which encapsulates best what Barton can do is Sibelius’ “Säv, säv, susa”. She conveys its arched structure from repose to violence and back again with real conviction, and the final long vowels are unbelievable. In the sleeve notes, she also explains the appeal of songs: that they show “the fullness of our lives through moments that are often simultaneously raw and alluring, and always fascinating.” This approach was certainly there in her choice of opener, Turina’s three songs from 1935 in homage to Lope de Vega. The way she handled the pay-off of the third song was justification enough for their inclusion. Her voice dipped into a lower tessitura as she portrayed the creepy and lubricious knight of the Order of Calatrava, whose desire is so intense it can pass through walls. Scary stuff.… Barton’s development as song recitalist promises to be a fascinating journey.” —Sebastian Scotney, The Arts Desk
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