Customer Reviews

Bryn Terfel - If Ever I Would Leave You (Songs from My Fair Lady, On a Clear Day, Camelot, The Little Prince, Brigadoon)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I usually hate the crossover genre, because the material almost always ends up overdone and not at all true to the idiom and mood of the original. That said, Terfel on this disc is about as good as crossover can get, using his fine voice to render pretty convincing and powerful versions of a number of Broadway classics. While he occasionally goes over the top, he is pretty faithful to the songs, and on those numbers that call for a rousing rendition (They Call the Wind Maria, for example), he really is splendid. Great sound quality and fine orchestral accompaniments.

I bought this CD as soon as I knew it was out, having thoroughly enjoyed his Rodgers&Hammerstein disc, and having heard him sing the most heardrending version of "Herr, lehre doch mich" in Brahms' Requiem that I have ever heard or could ever hope to hear. In the R&H I thought he sang sublimely. He gave great readings of songs which were familiar to me, and ones which I had never heard before. Some of my favorites from that CD are songs with which I was not familiar. I felt there was a hint of oversinging on some songs, but was willing to overlook those for the sheer beauty and unbelievable power of his other interpretations. On this CD [the Lerner and Lowe] some of the songs are overdone. It's almost as though he followed the R&H too quickly and didn't really LEARN these songs, didn't take them into his heart and caress them, feel them, the way he did the R&H. Emotion is a wonderful thing, particularly in singing, but it can seem artificial, and that's the way I feel about some of these. Listen to the way he sings some words that start with "b", almost popping them out of his mouth or gliding into them when it really isn't appropriate at that point in the song. I think he oversings on this one and it should have been more nuanced. He loves loud, he loves soft, but there can be an exquisite middle that sometimes eludes him here. That said, I'll still buy his next one in a heartbeat. A voice, and heart, of the quality we are not likely to ever hear again in our lifetime.

As a voracious fan of Terfel, I have almost every CD in which his voice sounds. This new effort is less pleasing than the Rogers and Hammerstein, as if Mr. Terfel's heart isn't quite so enchanted with Lerner and Lowe as the first two gentlemen. Having said that, I feel rather bad about it -- in much the same way that I feel bad for not liking his interpretation of Erlking on the An Die Musik CD -- more so because it's my current favorite album of ANY sort (were it an LP, it would have worn out long ago).

Terfel's interpretations of Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musicals is a nice alternative to the partiality that an opera singer has to their own genre of music. Terfel, I feel, knew that he could justify his decision to make a recording of show tunes, especially after the completion of G.&S. light opera pieces. I have always held clasically trained singers with esteem and have always apreciated there interpretations of various types of music. Show tunes are an easy bridge for the clasically trained such as Terfel. Yet, as Terfel proves, his voice tends to be a little to strident(in a good way)or strong, in many cases, for a particular passage. For example, the whole song "They Call the Wind Maria" from Paint Your Wagon is way to strong and quite formidable for the ears to stand, yet the opening note from like a fiddle is very light and nastalgic (on- the-range style) motif, yet once Terfel belts out the note, one feels he is a rough and way too tough cowboy who is supposed to be "on the lone prairy." Also, in the song "On the Street Where You Live," one of my all-time favorites, Terfel is enclined to approach the song with a rather strong dose of enthusiasm and playfulness, whereas I feel that the song should be approached with an inner light of emotions that luminate from within the singer that is interpreted as a warmth and passionate inner secret that the lister will agree with, and appreciate as if they are also sharing the secret of a lover who is smitten/infatuated with this "someone" "On The Street Where You Live." NOW...WITH GETTING ALL OF THE COMMENTS OUT...I can reflect on the nature of Terfel and his voice and how this recording is an incredible piece. First of all, I love to hear songs sung in a full voice with a tone with a forward resonance and brilliance that only a artist clasically trained like an opera singer can achieve. Their voices are unmatched in sound and technique, thus furthering the richness of a song otherwise song by a standard singer who might show all the emotions yet the inability to convey their music without a micropone. I wish not to be to brash, for I love broadway singers like Anthony Warlow, for his voice, I believe is exceptional, yet even more like Audra MacDonald. Why? for she has proven to cross over and sing operatic pieces with alacrity. For Bryn Terfel, these songs are easy and playful to execute, yet this does not mean he slacks on the energy needed to support a sound that he is familiar with in operatic arenas. Yet the possible taxing tones need for opera can be exempt here as they are, yet the good habits of a classically trained singer such as word elucution/diction and constant support add a hightened relief to rather standard showtunes, that can be heard half hummed and then easily dismissed by the lister on most occasions to such songs. Yet, if You buy this recording you will not be so enclined to dissmiss these songs that you thought you heard too much, for you will marvel at how an opera singer can transcend the mundane interpretations of musical theater's usual acts, and let a truly mastered voice soar over and orchestra without a sign of straining, producing beatuful full sounds exploding with emotions in a unique, truly intensifying way. these songs will leave an indelibe mark in your mind...yet only if you buy it!

Terfel has an outstanding voice & the talent to use it to good advantage. Being 'show buffs' we thoughly enjoyed the selection of numbers also.

THE FOLLOWING QUOTE DOESN'T GET MY VOTE!
A quote from the accompanying booklet: "Some people might claim that there is no difference between classical and popular music, only between good and bad. Maybe so, but how many singers can put over and all-Schubert recital and a CD of show tunes like 'If Ever I Would Leave You' with equal authority and ease? At this point, probably none but Bryn Terfel."

OH, WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!! Many classical singers have accomplished that very task with just as much skill as Terfel. Don't get me wrong here;he has a great voice, but just as I do not want to hear Frank Sinatra sing Monteverdi, I would rather hear Robert Goulet sing Lerner & Loewe. And permit me to cite at least one example of a cross-over: Ian Bostridge, classical British tenor did an album of Noel Coward Songs(Coward, the British Broadway equivalent), which is excellent, but I want to hear him singing Schubert, just as I might prefer Terfel singing Mozart.

But lest you think that I don't think well of this recording, let me include here part of a review from Gramophone (London) 1998. "These settings of Lerner lyrics may not be his native song but this archetypal romantic lyricism seems to have found a place in the Welshman's heart....Those who have his earlier Rodgers and Hammerstein recording will thrill once again at hearing songs sung in a way that is seldom heard in the theatre....the sustaining of the melodic line, the word painting, the dynamic range, sensibly modified now, and an unexpected lightness of touch...." To which I wholeheartedly agree.

But for me all of this expertise that he displays in his Lerner songs pales beside his ability to sing 'Don giovanni' and the like.

It is very hard for an opera singer to suddenly shift their singing talents in another direction (remember the Kiri Te Kanawa "South Pacific" album?), but Bryn Terfel gamely rises to the challenge with an album of songs from the musical theatre team of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe ("My Fair Lady", "Camelot").

On the whole, the album is quite enjoyable, and Terfel performs the usual standards like "If Ever I Would Leave You" and "On the Street Where You Live". Happily, the album also features two numbers from the underrated "Little Prince" score ("I Never Met a Rose" and the Title Song); as well as "There's Always One You Can't Forget" (from the big flop "Dance a Little Closer").

Terfel also gets to perform some of the ladies' numbers like "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here" (from "On a Clear Day..."). Terfel is the closest thing we have to the old-fashioned matinee idol, and the selections on this album are well-suited to his lush voice. Quite a surprise.

[Deutsche Grammophon/Polygram 457 628-2]

This music is great to listen to. I love these songs and Bryn Terfel sings them beautifully. There is a definite sense that Mr. Terfel knows about the character he is singing. He approaches these songs like arias. There is a context surrounding the song and he understands the character's story enough to produce a thoughtful and interesting interpretation (e.g., She Wasn't You, Here I'll Stay, and This is the Life). These songs are presented like a concert, not as it would be sung in a show performance, but it is not just stand and sing--it is emotion, soaring sound, clear, precise enunciation (can't say enough about Mr. Terfel's diction-what a pleasure to hear every word and ending consonant). Simply, this is lovely and satisfying music. Bryn Terfel is quickly becoming my all time favorite singer. He is also supported by a wonderful orchestra and chorus who provide beautiful sound, superb soloists, and great backup (especially on With a Little Bit of Luck).

The bass-baritone Bryn Terfel is an opera singer of international standing. It is unusual to find a classical singer so well able to make the transition into the musical theatre. This CD, which follows "Something Wonderful", is a truly great experience. Bryn's performance of each song can only be described as perfect and must equal or better the originals. Every song is lived and every nuance explored to the fullest. There are 19 tracks and it runs for 69' 46. The beauty of his voice reduced me to tears and I would urge anyone who loves the musical theatre to buy this CD, they will not be disappointed.

I bought it because I had bought SOMETHING WONDERFUL before. But, this disc isn't better than it. Whenever I listened to it, I think it is too energitic. The way Bryn's singing is good for R&H, but it isn't good for Lerner's lyrics. I like his singing, but this disc is very disappointed at me. Oh....