Sibelius: Six Songs, Op. 50

‘Inspired performances … It is a magic partnership, giving fresh insights in every song’ (The Guardian)

“Sibelius's songs have taken a long time to come in from the cold. After all, the few that are relatively well-known (Black roses and Op 37 No 5, 'The Tryst') are passionate enough to have come from Italian opera, and others which over the years have found a place in the repertoire have a span of phrase and a melodic surge that encourage the voice to rise thrillingly, as in 'The Tryst's' predecessor, 'Was it a dream?'. The tingle of a Nordic chill in among this is in fact a further excitement of the blood. Given a voice that can combine the sparkle of sunlight on snow with the dark splendour which lies at the heart of those black roses, an entire programme of Sibelius's songs offers not an austere pleasure but almost a rich indulgence.
But from both singer and pianist there must also be a ready supply of imagination. Katarina Karnéus and Julius Drake answer these calls magnificently. The voice is firm and resonant, purest in quality in the upper D-to-F region and of ample range. In Julius Drake she has a pianist who extends the normal field of vision, and the two work together to great effect.
In the opening song, To evening ('Illalle'), Karnéus and Drake 'build' the verses with such effective graduations of power and intensity that everything is enhanced – the vocal line, the piano's tremolandos, words, mood, the poem-aspainting, the song as miniature epic. In some others – 'Little Lasse' in Op 37 and the remarkable 'Tennis in Trianon' of Op 36 are examples – von Otter and Bengt Forsberg bring a further sophistication, more rightfully placed in the second example than the first. But if you want a single disc of 25 to to represent Sibelius's output of roughly 100 songs then this disc must take first choice.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“The vast majority of Sibelius's songs are in Swedish, the language with which he grew up as a child, and here they're given by a distinguished native Swedish partnership. The Seven Songs, Op 13, are all Runeberg settings and come from the composer's early years (1891-2). Best known, perhaps, are 'Spring is flying' and 'The dream', but there are others, such as 'The young hunter', that are no less delightful and characterful.
The other Runeberg settings here, the Six Songs, Op 90, come towards the end of Sibelius's career as a song composer (1917-18). 'The north', as in all the nature poetry of Runeberg, touches a very special vein of inspiration. Along with 'Die stille Nacht', Op 50 No 5, which is equally affectingly given by these two artists – it's among his finest songs. Interest naturally focuses on the rarities.
The Wood Nymph, not to be confused with the melodrama or the tone-poem, is recorded here for the first time. As well as A Song, there are two other early Runeberg settings, the 1888 Serenade and Resemblance, both of them also premiere recordings. 'The Jewish Girl's Song' will be familiar from the incidental music to Belshazzar'sFeast, and is affecting in this form – particularly sung as it is here. Given the artistry and insight of this splendid partnership, and the interest and beauty of the repertoire, this is a self-recommending issue.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010