Search - Vladimir Ashkenazy, Elisabeth Soderstrom :: Chopin Songs op. 74

In Memory of a great soprano in the 200th anniversay of Chop

Abel | Hong Kong | 03/23/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Swedish-Russian soprano Elisabeth Soderstrom was a record holder in several respects: the first soprano to have sung all the three roles of Octavian, Marshallin and Sophie in Strauss' Rosenkavalier; the first soprano to record Leo Janacek's great trio operas (with Sir Charles Mackerras).

Soderstrom was a lyrical soprano with a timbre that is affecting without being overtly dramatic, yet fully capable of expressing the greatest emotions when called for.

In Chopin's 'songs', mostly labelled posthmously under opus 74 (except the last two, Nos. 18 and 19), the overwhelming mood is on pathos rather than drama. Soderstrom's clear yet middle-European timbre carries them off like a pot of pure gold. Her velvety tone is creamy yet pure, and she sang without any mannerisms that beset some of the top lyrical sopranos today: no scooping, no mushy diction. At times, her timbre reminds one of Seefried and Streich.

Vladimir Ashkenazy accompanied Soderstrom with zest and zeal at the pianoforte. In the more virtuosic pieces (like No. 10), one hears the two artists interacting with real sparks. In other lyrical pieces, both yield romantic renditions that are fully in touch with the Polish rustic spirit.

My personal favourite set of Chopin's 'Songs'."