Bryn Terfel - The Vagabond & other songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi & Ireland

Ralph Vaughan Williams (Artist), Gerald Finzi (Artist), George Butterworth (Artist), John Ireland (Artist), Bryn Terfel (Artist), Malcolm Martineau (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 10, 1995)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000001GPD
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,167 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #12 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Composers > Vaughan Williams, Ralph
  • #22 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Vocal & Song
  • #26 in Music > Classical > Chamber Music > By Period > Modern & 20th Century

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TERFEL'S TOPS, July 18, 2000

By 

MOVIE MAVEN (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bryn Terfel - The Vagabond & other songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi & Ireland (Audio CD)

I agree wholeheartedly with "A Music Fan From Washington DC:" Fisher-Dieskau MIGHT have sung this repertoire as well as Bryn Terfel, but he did not record it, so how are we to know? And frankly, I doubt seriously that he could possibly have sung it BETTER than Terfel. These are really lovely, rare songs that deserve to be heard by a wider audience. Terfel's total command of language (he makes every word count!) as well as music,(his mellow, rich bass-baritone sounds beautiful in each and every song) make this a very emotional recording, esp. with songs like "Come away, come away, death" by the usually neglected Gerald Finzi. The choice of material is first rate: here are not only terrific composers (i.e. Vaughan Williams, Ireland, etc.) but the source material for the songs is poetry by the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson and John Masefield and Wm. Shakespeare. Each song is like a tiny play. This is a wonderful recording and should be heard.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent interpretations of oft-neglected literature, January 28, 2002

By 

Dr. Fartmeister (Vancouver BC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bryn Terfel - The Vagabond & other songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi & Ireland (Audio CD)

While Bryn Terfel is not one of my favorite opera singers, I have gained a new admiration for him after hearing his uncanny renditions of some very famous and some very obscure English art songs.

Some of this repertoire is well known to vocalists, and as often is the case with art song collections, is only really of interest to vocalists. However, Terfel's performances make this particular anthology a thrill for anyone interested in English music or the human voice. Terfel's voice soars to majestic fortes and sublime pianissimos on this recording (causing much distress involving the volume knob at times). He infuses these songs with such passion that not even Terfel himself seems to be able to parallel in many of his other recordings. His interpretation of Vaughan Williams' "In Dreams" is particularly exciting. His high range is unusually free in a lot of the songs, and his phrasing is immaculate.

There really isn't anything bad I can say about Terfel's performance, although some of the music has become obscure for a reason. A couple of the songs, while not bad songs overall, are not really well constructed, and with all the excitement that Terfel gives them, they still aren't really all that much fun to listen to. Anyway, be forewarned of that.

This CD should be indisposable to all voice students.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best....Simply the Best, April 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Bryn Terfel - The Vagabond & other songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi & Ireland (Audio CD)

Fischer-Dieskau never sang this repertoire, so what he might have done does not concern me (and he never had Terfel's technique or stylistic range anyway). Terfel is splendid in this recording - full of finesse, sensitivity, and, when appropriate, brashness. His Vagabond is definitive. The dynamic control he displays is rare and satisfying. He sets a new standard.