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Soprano Danielle de Niese gives her boundless energy to this album of all-Baroque arias. Her warm sound and rich timbre are her hallmarks, along with her lively stage presence, as those who have seen her performances can attest. These qualities are unmistakably evident here. In "Let the bright Seraphim" the music never sags or lags anywhere, for she feels it. Sometimes, however, de Niese gets overdramatic when it is not necessary. "Come again" shows that her emotions are genuine and not manufactured, but the excess becomes distracting. Her vibrato is fast, and sometimes the voice thins out in it, as well as in the melismas (which are, to her credit, on time and in place). It is when she exercises restraint and has longer, lyrical lines that she is at her best on this album. "Thy hand, Belinda… When I am laid in earth" is one example where it's easy to hear the beauty of her voice. The same goes for "Heart, the seat of soft delight," which has a lovely smoothness and a mature sound. She exercises good control in the melismas, and the result is a gem of an aria. Her duets with countertenor Andreas Scholl are all solid and well done. The purity of their voices matches well, as one can hear in both Monteverdi arias, and Pergolesi's Stabat mater (with its heartbreakingly beautiful string introduction) is simply gorgeous thanks to perfect control in both voices. One could conclude that de Niese's straight tones are also her forte. Supporting the voices is the musically solid, graceful ensemble, the English Concert under the direction of Harry Bicket, whose understated elegance deserves praise. De Niese saves the best for last: two arias from Bach's cantatas. Here, de Niese is like a different artist; it is instantly clear that the German repertoire suits her wonderfully. In "Sich üben im Lieben" she captures a perfect bouncing rhythm and accents, and one truly feels her emotion; compared to other pieces where she seems to be emoting dramatically, this piece moves the listener. "Schäfe können sicher weiden" also demonstrates this emotional honesty, and recalls Kathleen Battle in its sweetness; it is like a pastoral breath of fresh air. De Niese is a veteran singer and performer, but at the time of this 2012 album, it is probably fair to say that she is still developing and is likely to grow into an even more impressive artist.
© TiVo
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Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - John Dowland, ComposerLyricist - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - John Dowland, Composer - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Serse, HWV 40 / Act 1 (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - Nicolò Minato, Author, Original Text Author - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Silvio Stampiglia, Author, Original Text Author - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Samson, HWV 57 / Act 3 (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - Newburgh Hamilton, Author - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Dido and Aeneas / Act 3 (Henry Purcell)
Virgil, Author, Original Text Author - Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - Nahum Tate, Author - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Henry Purcell, Composer - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Acis and Galatea (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Gay, Author - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
L'incoronazione di Poppea / Act 3 (Claudio Monteverdi)
Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - Claudio Monteverdi, Composer - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Andreas Scholl, Counter-Tenor, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Giovanni Francesco Busenello, Author - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - Claudio Monteverdi, Composer - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Rodelinda / Act 2 (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Nicola Francesco Haym, Author - Antonio Salvi, Author, Original Text Author - Pierre Corneille, Author, Original Text Author - Andreas Scholl, Counter-Tenor, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
The Triumph Of Time And Truth, HWV71 (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, ComposerLyricist - Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas Morell, Translator - Benedetto Pamphili, Author, Original Text Author - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Stabat Mater (Giovanni Battista Pergolesi)
Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Composer - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Andreas Scholl, Counter-Tenor, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jacopone da Todi, Author - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Cantata No.202 "Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten" (Wedding Cantata), BWV 202 (Johann Sebastian Bach)
Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer - Anonymous, Author - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd, Cantata BWV 208 (Johann Sebastian Bach)
Harry Bicket, Conductor, MainArtist - Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer - The English Concert, Orchestra, MainArtist - Arend Prohmann, Producer, Recording Producer - Danielle de Niese, Soprano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Salomo Franck, Author - Philip Siney, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
Album review
Soprano Danielle de Niese gives her boundless energy to this album of all-Baroque arias. Her warm sound and rich timbre are her hallmarks, along with her lively stage presence, as those who have seen her performances can attest. These qualities are unmistakably evident here. In "Let the bright Seraphim" the music never sags or lags anywhere, for she feels it. Sometimes, however, de Niese gets overdramatic when it is not necessary. "Come again" shows that her emotions are genuine and not manufactured, but the excess becomes distracting. Her vibrato is fast, and sometimes the voice thins out in it, as well as in the melismas (which are, to her credit, on time and in place). It is when she exercises restraint and has longer, lyrical lines that she is at her best on this album. "Thy hand, Belinda… When I am laid in earth" is one example where it's easy to hear the beauty of her voice. The same goes for "Heart, the seat of soft delight," which has a lovely smoothness and a mature sound. She exercises good control in the melismas, and the result is a gem of an aria. Her duets with countertenor Andreas Scholl are all solid and well done. The purity of their voices matches well, as one can hear in both Monteverdi arias, and Pergolesi's Stabat mater (with its heartbreakingly beautiful string introduction) is simply gorgeous thanks to perfect control in both voices. One could conclude that de Niese's straight tones are also her forte. Supporting the voices is the musically solid, graceful ensemble, the English Concert under the direction of Harry Bicket, whose understated elegance deserves praise. De Niese saves the best for last: two arias from Bach's cantatas. Here, de Niese is like a different artist; it is instantly clear that the German repertoire suits her wonderfully. In "Sich üben im Lieben" she captures a perfect bouncing rhythm and accents, and one truly feels her emotion; compared to other pieces where she seems to be emoting dramatically, this piece moves the listener. "Schäfe können sicher weiden" also demonstrates this emotional honesty, and recalls Kathleen Battle in its sweetness; it is like a pastoral breath of fresh air. De Niese is a veteran singer and performer, but at the time of this 2012 album, it is probably fair to say that she is still developing and is likely to grow into an even more impressive artist.
© TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:56:41
- Main artists: Danielle de Niese The English Concert Harry Bicket
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Decca Music Group Ltd.
- Genre: Classical
© 2011 Decca Music Group Limited ℗ 2011 Decca Music Group Limited
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