British soprano
Felicity Lott excels in so many styles and genres that it should be no surprise that in this recital of
Schumann songs she could be taken for a specialist in Romantic lieder. The songs collected here are largely reflective, rather than anguished, and she sings them with utterly unmannered ease and confident serenity. The assurance and effortlessness of her vocal production immediately put the listener at ease; this is a singer with whom listeners can fully relax in the certainty that they are in good hands. The collection is full of examples of
Lott's floating, caressing tone; Mondnacht and Der Nussbaum are especially lustrous examples of the freshness and youthfulness of her sound, and the fluidity and limpidity of her phrasing. Her mastery of long, creamy legato lines is especially dazzling. Her reading of the songs of Frauenliebe und Leben may not be the most dramatically differentiated, but her performance is deeply felt and fully emotionally engaging.
Graham Johnson, the singer's longtime collaborator, provides a stellar accompaniment that's full of interpretive character and flexibility and is always in sync with
Lott; it's clear that the two are equal contributors to the impressiveness of the performances. The sound is bright and clear and establishes a sense of warm intimacy. Altogether an exemplary release.