Customer Reviews

The Songs of Robert Burns / Songs of the Hebrides

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McKellar has one of the finest tenor voices I have heard. There is a range that is broad, while keeping a very masculine sound. I learned that he was trained classically and gave up opera after a season or two to do concert singing. These songs have lush or spare orchestral arrangements as the occasion demands. They are dramatic, even Hollywood-like, arrangements verging on schmalt, but a second hearing convinced me that he was among the finest tenors of the 20th century and the arrangements are "just right."

Who can sing like this today? Vocalion has done it again -- two of Kenneth McKellar's wonderful Decca recordings from 1961 and 1962 brought together for a wonderful vocal treat. There are things the lover of the English art song and ballad cannot be without -- Jennifer Vyvyan's lovely renditions of Michael Head's Foxgloves and Roger Quilter's Love's philosophy; Eileen Farrell's stentorian Sing to me by Sydney Homer; John Mark Ainsley's rhapsodic performance of Quilter's Go, Lovely Rose, and Kenneth McKellar singing Land of Heart's Desire, Sleeps the Noon in the Deep Blue Sky and Robert Burns' My love is like a red, red rose. Happily, these songs are preserved on this terrific release. McKellar had a wonderful, powerful and lyric tenor voice. His operatic and oratorio singing is moving on top of being very musical -- dynamics, portamento, etc., scrupulously observed and artistic; however, his singing of art songs, folk songs and ballads is exemplary and always, underscored ALWAYS moving and right on the mark. McKellar had a real affinity for this music and it simply erupts from the grooves (oops, I'm dating myself)!

The Songs of Robert Burns is lovely -- I defy anyone to listen to McKellar's rendition of My love is like a red, red rose, and come away without a tear in the eye. In my opinion, however, the true gem is the release of McKellar's Songs of the Hebrides. Vocalion includes McKellar's spoken introductions to these songs and it is incredible. One might think that it would sound trite, but McKellar is right on the mark and the introductions make the songs that much more memorable. Marjory Kennedy-Fraser is surely smiling down from heaven as this is the most beautiful and atmospheric recording of her Songs of the Hebrides. McKellar scales down his powerful voice for Land of Heart's Desire and it is ravishing. No one comes away unmoved. Again, who can sing like this today? I tried to think of any tenor or baritone singing today that could come close to this kind of a performance -- I could not think of one. Thank you Vocalion for bringing these performances back to light. Speaking of the recording, it is lush, with that beautiful early stereophonic sound preserved. For the lover's of the art song, ballad or folk song, you MUST have these performances.

If I was to be only able to carry one CD with me to a desert island, this one might be my choice. The poetry of Robert Burns is entirely inspiring. The vocal performance of McKellar is adequate to Burns' work. The orchestration is rich and appropriately simple. These songs will "stick to your ribs" and leave you longing for a visit to the old sod to personaly perceive the beloved ambiance they evoke.

To think that Kenneth Mc Kellar passed this very year of 2010...oh how very sad life can be. We are so lucky to still be able to hear his magnificent and moving voice. I am very touched with every note and to know that he is gone brings a tear to my eye.

Excellent CD! Huge loss of a Scottish Tenor! This is by far one of my favorite Scottish vocalists.

What a treat the listener has in store for here we have two vintage KENNETH MCKELLAR albums available on one compact disc! THE SONGS OF ROBERT BURNS and the SONGS OF THE HEBRIDES are both albums originally recorded in the early 1960's, and we have them here in their entirity including the great colorized cover art with a youthful MCKELLAR in a regal tartan. KENNETH is an awesome Scottish tenor and has an opera background which inflences how he approches and sings his material. While not always the most "traditional" in his method to folk music, his musical studies and powerful voice make his imprint to this genre interesting and memorable. I just love the depth and range of this man's instrument, and think the combined songs on these albums are simply some of his best work. I really think he has one of the greatest male voices of the second half of the 20th century, and I love how his Scottish brogue filters through his diction like a rainbow does on one of those sunny/misty/magickal days. There's something pleasantly old fashioned about this recording and the way it sounds; it's like it takes me back to a former life where I'm happily sitting back in front of my fireplace with the one I love, drapped in my clan's tartan. Yes it does bring out the "Old World" in you. Everything about this collection is just stellar; from the songs to MR. MCKELLAR'S interpretation and his excellent use of his strong masculine pipes that are gorgeously breathtaking. I highly recommend KENNETH MCKELLAR'S THE SONGS OF ROBERT BURNS AND THE SONGS OF THE HEBRIDES, as well as anything else this brilliant vocalist does. Should I ever be fortunate enough to hear his legendary voice echoing its way through the Highlands and dancing through the heather - than I'll know there's an afterlife after all.

This recording has some wonderful Scottish songs by a super Scottish tenor. The difficult part for me is that I need the sheet music to go with one of the songs, but I had no luck locating it anywhere. There are other versions of the song ("My heart's in the highlands") available but none like this one. Is there any chance you could help me find it??

Sincerely,
Lyndall