Fauré: L'horizon chimérique, Op. 118

“A delightful recital … Neven’s melodies are every bit as persuasive as his lieder … the recording team does the project proud.” Classical Music, 17th November 2012

“Rarely do you hear, even in the rarefied world of French melodie and German Lieder, a baritone who sings with such subtlety in shading of dynamic and tone as the Dutch baritone Henk Neven...and this latest disc extends my admiration even further in totally exquisite singing...Altogether a most memorable song record.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2013

“Few singers would give over a whole evening to Fauré's songs on the concert platform, and choosing a way of presenting them on disc obviously poses problems. Previous sets had all the songs in chronological order; others chose poets or moods: Graham Johnson and company have begun with songs about water. This means a lot of dreaming and melancholy, whether in Gautier's Chanson du pêcheur ('Ma belle amie est morte', also set by Berlioz), or Richepin's Aucimitière. The latter is given a most beautiful rendition by John Mark Ainsley, who otherwise only sings on two tracks, with Jennifer Smith in the sentimental Pleurs d'or, and the homage to Venice and its lovers in Marc Monnier's Barcarolle.
Three cycles are the main items here. Felicity Lott sings the Cinq Mélodies de Venise, which includes some of Fauré's best-known songs, 'Mandoline', 'En sourdine' and 'Green'. She brings to bear on them a lifetime's devotion to French song. Her other contribution is Au bordde l'eau, to a poem by Sully-Prudhomme. This is made to sound very sad; taken faster it can be quite merry; it's a celebration of love, as well as a meditation on the passing of time.
Stephen Varcoe sings Mirages, Fauré's penultimate cycle (1919). As Graham Johnson writes in his fascinating notes, these poems by Brimont permitted Fauré 'uneventful passion'. Christopher Maltman is the other featured singer, in five separate songs and L'horizon chimérique. All the performances are elegant and well-balanced, but one misses the extra slight note of acid that native French singers bring to Fauré's songs.
Hyperion's sound is impeccable and in both his playing and accompanying essay, Graham Johnson penetrates to the heart of one of music's most subtle and enigmatic geniuses.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Canciones populaires espanolas could not be sung with greater feeling...it has lost none of its ability to enchant and remains one of the most eloquent of Souzay's song records.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition

“This is a very honest and thoughtfully presented disc and if, despite Malcolm Martineau's superior playing, I cannot give it five stars, that is almost entirely owing to an occasional dryness in Thomas Olieman's tone and to the old problem of this repertoire being treacherous ground for the non-Francophone singer.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2009 ****

“These songs, with their pastel shadings, Symbolist images and concise language, are challenging, but Oliemans achieves a superb blend of richness, refinement and mystery, warmth and objectivity. His is a highly attractive voice that we will hopefully hear more of in the future.” Classic FM Magazine

“France's equivalent of Fischer-Dieskau sings Fauré, Duparc and Ravel with characteristic expressive elegance that transcends the rather elderly recordings.” BBC Music Magazine, May 2006 *****