It's a cause for rejoicing that more and more mezzo-sopranos are taking up Peter Lieberson's gorgeous 2005 cycle, Neruda Songs, but any singer approaching them is in the unenviable position of inevitably being measured against
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, for whom and to whom they were written, and whose radiant, deeply personal recording would be hard to surpass. Taken on its own terms,
Kelley O'Connor's singing is for the most part satisfying and able to stand on its own. The first two songs don't feel quite fully inhabited, but she hits her stride in the third, and by the last, "Amor mío, si muero y tú no mueres," she summons the all the devastating poignancy the music and text require.
Robert Spano's reading and the playing of the
Atlanta Symphony come off as surprisingly dry and spare, especially compared to the sumptuous passion of
James Levine and the
Boston Symphony in the premiere recording. Even more surprisingly, the sound of the live premiere recording has more vibrancy, depth, and presence than this version.
The album opens with the first recording of Christopher Theofanidis' Symphony No. 1. It's an appealing work, colorfully orchestrated and packed with quirkily imaginative touches and surprising juxtapositions. It's structured very conventionally so any listener conversant with symphonic form should be able to follow its unfolding with ease. Like many contemporary American composers of a tonal persuasion, Theofanidis doesn't always manage to avoid some
John Adams-isms and populist
John Williams-isms, but he clearly has plenty of original ideas and provides a wealth of ear-catching moments, and most importantly, the work holds together well and engages the listener's interest for its full 35-minute length.
Spano and the
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra deserve much credit for their commitment to contemporary American music, and this release should be of strong interest to fans of that repertoire.