#2 Salzburg Recital - Kathleen Battle

First and foremost, Kathleen Battle has always occupied a special place in my heart. She was my dictionary definition of a soubrette, and nothing (including the crazies!) ain't gonna change that!


This album was recorded during Battle's middle period, back when it won't be too far from the truth if I say she was the most beautiful voice of the world. It includes selections from Purcell, Mendelssohn and Fauré, basically the stuff that made her recitals famous. Some Mozart and Strauss standards (though I have to say Schwarzkopf's Ridente la calma is somewhat superior to Our Kathy's) and of course, spirituals. Now, I am of the Marian Anderson school of spiritual singing i.e. deep, deep and deep-ah, but I would venture to say that Battle's rendition of Witness is the best there is.

Voice = sterling. The runs were executed like silk. Ich wollt' ein Sträusslein binden was especially lovely. But Battle is a lyric soprano, and in lyrical singing she excels most: her Mozart is exemplary, and the only lovelier Music for a while I had heard was Philippe Jaroussky's (but then I had a bias for countertenors, but I digress). And let me just say: the high notes are orgasmic! Some anti-Battleites say her high notes had a prison siren-like quality to them. If only jail alarms were half this good!

Accompaniment = perfect. Then again, Levine and Battle were the dream team for about ten years. The playing was limpid, but suspiciously slower (in volume) than usual. But those who know Battle would know the fact that her instrument, for all its beauty, is very frugal dynamically. Levine knows this (perhaps more than anyone else), and adjusted - which makes for the perfect partnership one often found wanting in other recital albums.

The only downturn? Well, you have to turn up your volume full, because at 50% volume Battle basically disappears. Which makes it even more precious!

SALZBURG RECITAL
KATHLEEN BATTLE soprano
JAMES LEVINE piano
Best Classical Vocal Solo Performance, Grammy Award 1988

01. Come All Ye Songsters; The Fairy Queen, Semi-Opera, Z. 629
02. Music For A While (From 'Oedipus'), Song, Z. 583-2;
03. Sweeter Than Roses (From 'Pausanius'), Song, Z. 585-1
04. O Had I Jubal's Lyre; Joshua (Oratorio) Hwv 64
05. Bei der Wiege ('Schlummre! Schlummre und Träume von Kommender Zeit'), Song For Voice & Piano, Op. 47-6
06. Neue Liebe ('In dem Mondenschein'), Song For Voice & Piano, Op. 19a-4
07. Schlagende Herzen ('Über Wiesen und Felder ein Knabe Ging'), Song For Voice & Piano, Op. 29-2 (Trv 172-2)
08. Ich wollt' ein Sträusslein binden, Song For Voice & Piano (Or Orchestra), Op. 68-2 (Trv 235-2)
09. Säusle, Liebe Myrthe!, Song For Voice & Piano (Or Orchestra), Op. 68-3 (Trv 235-3)
10. Ridente la calma, Song For Voice & Piano, K. 152 (K. 210a) (Spurious, By Myslivecek)
11. Das Veilchen, Song For Voice & Piano, K. 476
12. Un moto di gioia mi sento, Aria For Soprano & Orchestra, K. 579
13. Mandoline, Song For Voice & Piano (Cinq Mélodies 'de Venise'), Op. 58-1
14. Les roses d'Isfahan For Voice & Piano (Or Orchestra) In D Major, Op. 39-4
15. En prière, Canticle For Voice & Organ (Or Orchestra) In E Flat Major
16. Notre amour, For Voice & Piano, Op. 23
17. Honor! Honor!
18. His Name So Sweet
19. Witness
20. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands