Any baritone with the determination to take on Debussy’s songs must contend with the legacy of arguably their finest interpreter, Gérard Souzay. The young British Christopher Maltman makes a valiant effort but he is completely overmatched (at least on this recording) by his French progenitor. This is not to say that there isn’t some exquisitely fine singing here, except that’s pretty much all there is: singing. Maltman does not successfully capture the mood, character, playfulness, or atmosphere inherent in every note of these songs, relying instead on his already well-honed vocal resources to carry the program. He boasts a sturdy, stentorian low end as well as an equal facility for tender, quiet falsettos–sort of like a Thomas Hampson without the heft and self-conscious pretensions. But, also like Hampson, he approaches his subject well-prepared, earnest, and full of musical good intentions. In most respects, his pronunciation is quite good, albeit not profoundly idiomatic nor colored with “native”-speaker nuance. And try as he might, he does not yet possess the seasoning to make these evocative songs convincing.
A quick comparison with Souzay’s 1962 recording (DG) in various songs reveals glaring differences in approach. For instance, their respective readings of “Mandoline” show just how Souzay “acts” out the words, filling them with meaning (even if the subject is trivial), where Maltman tries to achieve his effect through mere dynamics, capturing little of the wit and charm this song is supposed to convey. Similarly, Maltman fails to project the mystery and quirkiness in “Les Ingénus” and “Le Faune” (to name just two). Finally, Maltman forgets the intimate nature of these mélodies, at times forging ahead with an unsettling brio. His much-in-demand accompanist Malcolm Martineau provides a glistening background, marred only by a slightly reverberant sound that fails to reveal the very last bit of detail in this highly inflected music. In the final analysis, there is much to admire in this outing, but for connoisseurs of French art song, your best bet is to stick with the tried and true.
