Folksong Arrangements

"This is a great CD. I am only sorry that it comprises only extracts from the 'collected' works, and is not a complete edition. Yet I guess that is largely impossible for a single soloist. Positively, this is a fine introduction to some of the loveliest and most attractive songs in the vocal repertoire. They are, by and large, beautifully performed by both the singer and the accompanist. And most importantly of all I feel that Steve Davislim thoroughly enjoys singing these songs."
(MusicWeb June 2009)

Steve Davislim and Simone Young are reunited with Melba Recordings to present a collection of Benjamin Britten's Folksong Arrangements. This new CD follows Seduction (MR301108), their highly praised exploration of orchestral songs of Richard Strauss.

The timbre and style of Davislim's singing here is redolent of that of Sir Peter Pears, for whose distinctive voice many of these arrangements were conceived. 'Just as the first performances heard the remorseful tenor of Pears' voice sweep the listener into the story, so too, with passion and with flair, does the winsomeness we hear Steve Davislim express in this recording.' (David Pear)

Australian-born Simone Young is internationally recognised as one of the leading conductors of her generation. For this recital she puts down her baton and plays the piano. As well as being an outstanding composer, Benjamin Britten was one of the greatest accompanists of last century. Not only did he bring the full experience of his theatrical writing to colour the word settings, then, but to his piano parts as well. Ms Young's playing is an equal part in conveying the atmosphere and emotion of these deceptive miniatures.

'One of the most charming things about the folksongs is that there are a number of them that are quite, really quite funny, quite charming, witty, humourous. And yet, the way Britten writes the accompaniment, the tempo instructions he gives, the dynamic instructions he gives, always indicate that they should be sung with a certain tenderness, with a certain wistfulness ...

'It's always a great challenge to perform what looks on paper like really simple music: simple text, very few notes, clear, clean simple dynamics. What it demands then is that you really look into the words and look into yourself and find an emotional response to the text of the poem and try to identify what Britten's emotional response to that poem was. It's rather like performing Mozart; the simpler it looks on paper, the more it says about you as a performer. It becomes incredibly intimate'. (Simone Young)

"Steve Davislim and Simone Young make a convincing case for listening to these not so simple songs with the same attention given to a lied or mélodie."
Culture Kiosque (US) (15 April 2009)