This is a delightful collection of American songs, some for soprano, some for mezzo, some for both with boychoir, and some (arranged or composed) for boychoir alone. Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs are here in fun arrangements for choir; Samuel Barber’s Melodies Passageres are handsmely interpreted by the lovely Mlle. Petibon (who goes for a wonderful, pianissimo, vibratoless effect on the final note of the last song and misses it by a hair); Six Songs called What is pink? by Ned Rorem turn out to be delights in the choristers’ throats; Barber’s Four Songs (Op. 13) provide mezzo Catherine King with a fine showcase; Malcolm Bruno’s Trois Noels Quebecois prove to be little masterpieces for soprano, mezzo, and choir; and Leonard Bernstein’s early, clever La Bonne Cuisine (four songs) are a pleasure. Songs by Norman Dello Joio and Libby Larsen, with instrumental interludes by James D’Angelo round out this special 70 minutes of music to which I’ll be returning often. As, I might add, should you.
