Customer Reviews

Thomas Hampson: An Old Song Re-Sung - American Concert Songs

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

 

 

This is not just an album of chestnuts. Hampson's love for the material shines through. His performance is always just right. His voice is warm, velvety, and wonderful! "In the Gloaming" and "Roses in Picardy" will bring you to tears, but my favorite is "Do not go, my love." Bravo, Tom!

There is a tremendous body of American songs which is yet to be fully appreciated. Thomas Hampson does us a favor in saving these gems from what might become obscurity. The songs on this disc are truly sentimental, bringing us from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. I commend Hampson for his continued dedication to singing these songs which rival the art songs of any culture and are worthy to be heard, sung and recorded.

This was Thomas Hampson's debut album on EMI, a 1990 release that catapulted him much higher than his earlier recitals on Teldec. It comprises a rather scholarly collection of sentimental memorabilia. Each selection is a "platform song" that Victorians cherished from singers who varied operatic arias with sentimental popular stuff. (Was it Nellie Melba or Jenny Lind who interjected 'Home, Sweet Home' in the middle of the Marriage of Figaro?)

Yet as forgotten as platform songs are today, with the exception of a few Stephen Foster tunes like 'Ah, May the Red Rose Live Alway,' a folk song like 'Shenandoah,' and a brass-bound immortal like 'Roses of Picardy,' everything on this unique CD is ripe with emotion. I am not ashamed to say that I teared up the first twenty times I listened (compulsively) to this memento from a more innocent age.

One is transported back to the time and spirit of Kipling and empire, TR and the Rough Riders, and brave young dougboys marching off to their doom singing 'Over There.' I teared up just writing that sentence.

There are some incredble songs in here from the past that I've not heard before. I'm so glad that Mr. Hampson has revived them for a new generation to appreciate. With a piano accompaniment only (wonderfully rendered), and Mr. Hampson's masterful artistry, the full impact of each song is delivered without any distraction.

In fact, I really didn't know what "My dear Nellie Gray" was about, when I was first listening to it in the car. When it finally dawned upon me what had happened to Nellie Gray, I had to pull over into a parking lot just to compose myself. As I said, these songs really pack a lot of punch emotionally.

Other powerful songs include Danny Deaver, Luke Havergall (you need to look up the original poem to figure this one out), In the Gloaming, and the perennial favorites - On the Road to Mandalay, and Roses of Picardy. Oh yes, Sigmund Romberg's "Sweetheart" from Maytime.

There are more, including the curious song about the grandee from Alcala which concludes the CD. Every time he sings it, I keep thinking "Al-Queda", but maybe that's just me.

I thought i would never hear these songs again- so thanks for the memories. You "done" a good job my boy. I'm proud of 'ya.