“In her own time, Nadia Boulanger was truly a legend. A pianist, organist and conductor, as well as composer, she was a renowned educator who taught well over a thousand students during her long career. … Today, almost 40 years after her death, her legendary stature remains undiminished. But her compositions are largely overlooked – unjustifiably, as this fascinating 2-disc set shows. … Boulanger insisted her students build a solid technical foundation. … And these qualities are what you hear in her own music. It’s polished…warm, witty, disarmingly tender and unexpectedly charismatic. The 26 songs prove worthy of being in every recitalist’s repertoire, especially as performed by these fine singers – the thrillingly expressive soprano Nicole Cabell, the robust yet nuanced baritone Edwin Crossley-Mercer and the versatile, characterful tenor Alek Shrader. … The Trois pièces for cello and piano are Boulanger’s most frequently performed works. Amit Peled’s impassioned cello and Lucy Mauro’s elegant, sensitive piano provide the most engaging interpretation I’ve heard. … But it’s organist François-Henri Houbart’s dramatic yet delicate performances of the Trois improvisations which I found most thrilling.… By offering the fine performances these pieces deserve, it provides a convincing argument for making her music heard more often.” —Pamela Margles, The Whole Note
The Whole Note Reviews the “Worthy” Music of Mademoiselle
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Categories : Delos Reviews
