Fauré: En sourdine, Op. 58 No. 2 (Verlaine)

The Sea, songs of water and the sea, diverse in colour and emotion. Henk Neven on his new ONYX recording: "During the recordings of my debut album 'Auf einer Burg' in Suffolk, I visited, after a day’s work, the coastal town of Aldeburgh. It was winter-time and at six o’clock pitch dark already. I was walking along the sea. Darkness all around.

Nevertheless I heard, smelt and felt the sea. Not visible but very present.

We sat by the water for ages and indulged in fancies, philosophised, and written poetry lustily about the endless deep of the sea, about the horizon and what is behind it, about the similarity to our spiritual lives, about the currents that are as our lives; about the sea that takes us with it when we are tired of living; about the restless sailor who revives between storm and waves; about the solitary wife who, rocking her baby, is left alone; about the sea in which you pour out your heart… Have all these tears made the seawater so bitterly salt?

The sea and the water have been a source of inspiration for many poets and their poems inspired the composers likewise. The songs that were created that way have inspired me".

Henk’s debut album 'Auf einer Burg', lieder by Loewe and Schumann, ONYX4052, was praised by BBC Radio 3: "songsettings by Loewe, beautifully brought to life by baritone Henk Neven and pianist Hans Eijsackers... A world of fantasies and dreams and reflections on the passing of time and the transience of life. That’s what it says on the sleeve, and that’s exactly what they deliver so successfully. It’s the CD Review Disc of the Week and you’ll find it on ONYX Classics.”

Described by the New York Times as “one of America’s finest artists and singers,” Frederica von Stade continues to be extolled as one of the music world’s most beloved figures. Known to family, friends, and fans by her nickname “Flicka,” the mezzo-soprano has enriched the world of classical music for three decades. This release highlights the iconic recordings of Faure Melodies with Jean-Philippe Collard and Melisande's Song from Faure's Pelleas et Melisande with Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse under Michel Plasson.

He was already noted as a recitalist, and “a talent to cherish” as far back as 1989. Since appearing in La Scala in 1998 he has performed recitals all over the world, his repertoire including: Schubert, Schumann, Strauss, Brahms, Fauré, Wolf and Mahler. He has also recorded many English songs. Gramophone describe him as the finest baritone singer of Lieder this country has ever produced.

In Simon's own words “I've probably got around 15 years, and think I can see the end of the tunnel. I've done most of the roles that suit me and some, like Papageno, I'll never want to drop…” “In Wagner I shan't go beyond Wolfram in Tannhauser. I know there's Beckmesser, but I'm afraid it's not a role that excites or fascinates me. I'll never get tired of the stand-and-sing roles like Germont in Traviata and Posa in Don Carlos - parts where you really have to act with your voice and pin the audience to their seats with inflexion, nuance and colour. I probably shan't sing Billy Budd again… and am moving down from Pelleas to Golaud. The two new roles I'm most excited about are Wozzeck and Rigoletto, which are both great theatre and call on a huge palette of colours. Wozzeck in particular, is a mountain any baritone wants to climb…”

The title work on this disc ‘Do You Dream in Color?’ is both a personal memoir and a celebration of the human spirit: an emotional, probing dramatic text that explores the nature of blindness and of human perception.

Laurie Rubin's remarkable debut disc includes songs sung in four languages. She sings in English, Spanish, French, accompanied by the excellent Marija Stroke, and completes her recital in Hebrew, performing with brilliant composer/pianist Noam Sivan.

This recital includes songs by Fauré, Ravel, Debussy, Poulenc, Honneger and Vuillermoz and was first released in 1999. Karina Gauvin is Canada’s superstar soprano and impressed audiences and critics the world over with her luscious timbre, profound musicality and wide vocal range.