Customer Reviews

Joseph Canteloube: Songs Of the Auvergne

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(1)
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I had the opportunity to hear Miss Davrath sing a collection of these songs when I was young and that experience has stayed with me for 40 years. The late Miss Davrath pioneered these songs before anyone else discovered these delightful classics. She is the only singer that does them with the correct dialect so they just might sound a little different then the incomplete versions by superstar divas. Get these, you won't be sorry even if you have other versions.

canteloube's setting of these songs are a mixed bag. some are absolutely charming, others are too arranged.

but netania davrath is the only i have heard sing these songs with individual character and loads of charm. her soprano is light, supple and velvety. her diction is priceless. the tempi that are set, not to mention many of the dynamic uses of crescendo and diminuendo by conductor pierre de la roche are likewise stunning and effective in creating an environment as opposed to a showcase for a big voice. i have heard other recordings of these songs as sung by frederica von stade and victoria de los angeles and their voices, wonderful as they are, overpower even the biggest of arrangements.

the most highly recommended are 'la delaissado', 'uno jionto posturo', 'malhourous que lo feno' and 'pour l'enfant'. 'bailero' is a favorite of japanese butoh artists.

this is a recording to keep in the personal library.

Natania Davrath's performance of these songs outshines all other collections in completeness, the tonal quality of her lyrical voice and the diction which is authentic. Her interpretations are varied with shimmering rainbowlike colors. Davrath was a major artist of the mid 20th century and recorded a variety of music for Vanguard from baroque including Bach to Mahler, Villa lobos, Honneger,etc. Her recordings of Russian art songs and operatic arias has remained unsurpassed for the past 60 years. Vanguard should release all of her recordings.

Netania Davrath is a soprano worthy of your listening. Even if you don't care for the operetic voice, she rises above that on folk music of the French Auvergne arranged by Joseph Canteloube in 1924. This version is the standard that others emulate. Davrath interpets each song with all the depth and pathos of a stage actor.

I was given this CD as a gift. The person who gave it to me said that one of the songs was played in a scene on "Northern Exposure". The character of Maggie was in the scene. Does anyone know which song on this Cd would be that song?

I must be honest and say that if this wasn't a gift, I probably would never have listened to this CD. I do find the songs and the artist's voice very soothing. It is like a stress buster for me.

The performance, dialect and spirit of the recording makes one think that Canteloub had Davrath in mind when he composed the set. Her performance is unbeatable and has never been equaled.(In a way its like Ferrier / Mahler, Barberian / Berio)

The best recording-in my opinion-of Canteloube's 'Songs of the Auvergne'.

Netanya Davrath had the perfect voice for these songs.

Highly recommended.

I'm in total agreement with the previous reviewers--this is the version to have. I've heard others, and while they are nice in a way, they miss the feeling that this recording has for the music. Absolutely enchanting and entrancing. You get the feeling that this is how it is supposed to sound.

This certainly is a good example of how subjective music perception can be, or how random music reviews are. I bought this CD after reading all the incredibly positive reviews, and, after listening to it, couldn't be more disappointed and embarrassed. I find some songs here excruciatingly slow and drawn out. I don't enjoy the sound of Mrs. Davrath's voice (to me it often sounds thin and shrill), or the sound of the orchestra, and some of the woodwind instruments sound outright amateurish (nothing wrong with that at all, but frustrating on a supposedly professional CD).

For anybody who wants to get to know these songs, which are among the most beautiful pieces of music I know, I would urge considering the unbelievably wonderful recording by Frederica von Stade, or at least the very professional and popular recording with Kiri Te Kanawa.