Strauss, R: Hochzeitlich Lied Op. 37 No. 6

“Kate Royal's beautifully sung new album, with finely characterised piano-playing from Malcolm Martineau, ranges imaginatively across a spectrum of composers who have captured the first pangs, the heartaches and the dashed hopes that can make life such a maelstrom of emotion.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2011

“Royal, with Malcolm Martineau at the piano, finds a character and colour for each of her 28 songs...William Bolcom’s gentle “Wait in” at the start and finish is well justified, and her Bridge and Britten are heartfelt, but the gem is Amy Beach’s winsome “Ah, Love but a day!”.” Financial Times, 11th February 2011 ****

“Royal's idea of combining songs of disparate eras and styles to tell a single love story works beautifully...[She] sings with radiant beauty and powerful emotional immediacy. If the golden warmth of her voice shows a hint of tightening when pushed on her high notes, it doesn't detract from the overall impact.” Classic FM Magazine, April 2011 ****

“An intriguingly fresh and unhackneyed programme...Kate Royal proves herself a compelling recitalist, colouring words with feeling and creating vivid atmosphere and character.” The Telegraph, 6th March 2011 ****

“Royal is generally in fine voice...luscious warmth is much in evidence. Royal is an exception among the majority of lyric sopranos these days in boasting an especially substantial middle range, which really glows throughout this disc.” International Record Review, March 2011

“Royal is on fine form in the Schumann and Schubert Lieder, with Malcolm Martineau at the piano stage-managing the show admirably, as indeed he does throughout.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2011 ****

“This is the first volume in Hyperion's Richard Strauss edition, something to be devoutly hoped for: he was a great Lieder composer but only a small fraction of his 200-plus songs are at all well known. Admittedly, his taste in poetry wasn't always as elevated as that of his fellow composers, yet his music can transform rather ordinary verses. And the major poets do get a look-in.
This disc includes two Heine settings, one of which, 'Frühlingsfeier', came a year after Salome and echoes the operatic score. This is where Christine Brewer, whose repertory includes the title-roles in Ariadne auf Naxos and Die ägyptischeHelena, might be expected to be most comfortable: her big, gleaming soprano sweeps through impressively. If at first her voice seems less than ideally flexible as a Lieder instrument, especially in the earlier songs, it would be ungrateful not to marvel at what she does ultimately bring to these performances.
Opening with 'Zueignung', which Strauss never intended to be relegated to encore status, Brewer sounds glorious if a little staid. But she quickly lightens up, catching the palpitations of 'Wie sollten wir geheim sie halten' and the gem-like intimacy of 'Leises Lied'. She positively blazes in the sunlight-evoking 'In der Campagna', where Vignoles's piano captures the splash of a Straussian orchestra. Both artists bring something fresh to the chestnuts 'Allerseelen' and 'Wiegenlied', in which Brewer floats a beautiful line over the rippling accompaniment. Having the high tessitura demanded in the rarely heard Gesänge des Orients, she clinches any remaining argument magnificently.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Pianist and presiding spirit Roger Vignoles takes us on a select chronological jaunt, making sure Brewer boldly goes to the heart of the bigger numbers where lesser voices would fear to tread. Her glorious instrument, fine-tuned from top to bottom, effortlessly negotiates some of Strauss's more outlandish intervals.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2005 ****

“There seems to be no challenge that Christine Brewer and Roger Vignoles can’t meet in these opulent songs. Brewer’s soaring voice offers a fabulous range of colour and dynamics, and Vignoles matches her with a truly orchestral palette at the keyboard” Classic FM Magazine

“At all times Brewer and Vignoles work together hand in glove … This is a properly equal partnership that bodes very well indeed for this admirable project. Brewer and Vignoles set high standards for anyone who would record Strauss now and for future collaborations on Hyperion too!” International Record Review

“Christine Brewer in magisterial voice … a major project, beautifully performed and presented” The Independent

“Christine Brewer … combines opulent, blazing tone, fearless top notes and surprising agility” Daily Telegraph

“Could there be a more enticing title stamped across a CD than Strauss: The Complete Songs – 1? Richard Strauss the man may be widely resistible; but it would take someone extraordinarily hard-hearted not to take any delight in his luxuriant imagination and succulent harmonies … each planned CD in the series will be shaped around the talents of different singers, and Brewer’s disc marks a tremendous start” The Times