Customer Reviews

Victor Herbert: Beloved Songs and Classic Miniatures

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It is a Good Thing that Naxos is starting an American Classics series at their usual budget price and that Victor Herbert is featured on two of them. We have as of this writing the purely instrumental <Babes in Toyland/The Red Mill> (8.559025) and its sequel <Beloved Songs and Classic Miniatures> (8.559026). The latter features soprano Virginia Croskery and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra under Keith Brion. Yes, this offers an interesting comparison with the old Beverly Sills offering of much the same material. Ms. Croskery's vocalizing is very good indeed and perhaps more in keeping with the kind of voice for which much of this music was composed; but while Ms. Sills' voice is quite thrilling, it is perhaps a touch too operatic for this lightweight material. On the other hand, the Naxos sound is far beyond what the older set can give us. Of the 16 selections on this CD, 5 are instrumental. Of the vocals, not all were written for the soprano voice ("Toyland" for example); but most were and we have here what you would expect: "Romany Life," "Kiss in the Dark," "Italian Street Song," "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life," and so on. Some listeners might have some trouble with the singer's very top notes; but at this price and for lack of anything competitive that is still available, this is still a very good purchase. This disc makes a fine companion piece, not only to the other Naxos set, but also to a concert of Herbert and Romberg duets on Newport Classic label titled "Sweethearts."

This new Victor Herbert is a disaster. The soloist is bad and destroys Romany Life. Her other songs aren't much better. Most of the vocal music was written with a chorus in mind. No chorus. Over half the vocal selections are mutilated. 2/3rds of Kiss Me Again is gone, about 1/2 of Moonbeams cannot be found, the second verse of A Kiss in the Dark is among the missing, etc. Thine Alone was written as a duet. Molly was written for a tenor. They are sung by a soprano. Herbert wrote so much music beautiful music but onl;y his most famous can be found here. Three or four orchestral selections are all that can be recommended. Until John McGlinn or Richard Bonynge realize that Herbert once existed he is in trouble. Naxos and Brion are not the answer.

Totally enchanted with this CD. The soprano supremely gifted and the orchestra - stunning. I highly recommend it for the sensitive music lover!

Who cares if a soprano is singing songs written for a tenor or Thine Alone was written as a duet? This is a perfectly lovely album, and I've never heard my two favorites--Thine Alone, Toyland--sung more beautifully. The soprano, Virginia Croskery, takes no liberties with the music--sings it lovingly and as it was written. Refreshing in our self-indulgent times when singers seem to think it compulsory to "make a song their own" or whatever it is they think they're doing.

The artists on this CD, as well as Naxos, are to be commended for a fine performance of this wonderful music by one of America's great compsers.