Acting...

 

... with a capital A!

That is what we get from Mark Padmore in Benjamin Britten's Our Hunting Fathers.

Some may object to Padmore's over-the-top theatricality, yet his all-in focus on characterization in the opening orchestrated song cycle is forever etched in my memory -

RATS!;

FIE!;

plus, that one really long rolled R.

As with many of Britten's vocal works, one can hear this music fitting the voice of tenor Peter Pears like a glove, and indeed he recorded it with Britten at the helm on BBC in OK sonics, although some like a female voice in this music as well.

Padmore on the other hand, is a little tremulous of voice, and his dramatic utterances can verge on the side of sprechstimme or mere declamations. One would not accuse the tenor of underselling this music at any point.

I have no problem with Christina Landshamer's soprano in Quatre Chansons Françaises, but I will admit I am more intrigued by the music. When he wanted to, Britten could be a real chameleon as a composer. Just as well as he could sound Italianate in the Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo (BLOG), here Britten composes as if he has followed Fauré, Debussy, and members of the French School all of his life.

To round out the program, this recording adds the orchestral-only Gloriana Symphonic Suite. While I say orchestral only, there is a five-minute song tackled by Alasdair Kent towards the beginning, and ably sung too! Otherwise, the music is mostly taken up by a series of orchestral dances in a Medieval style.

I do like the sounds coming from the Basel Symphony Orchestra. They are fully on board to add as much color and vim to Our Hunting Fathers as tenor Mark Padmore is to portray theatrical characterizations. The orchestra is only let down by this Gloriana Suite in a rather flabby reading from Ivor Bolton. The music should be taut and snappy, but I find no particular spark of life in Bolton's performance.

Otherwise, the packaging is eye catching, and the many candid pictures of Benjamin Britten in the liner notes are appreciated. All of the song texts are included in the physical media as well.

 

 

 

 

Works
Our Hunting Fathers, op. 8 (28.36)
Quatre Chansons Françaises (12.59)
Gloriana: Symphonic Suite, op. 53a (27.46)

Soloists
Christina Landshamer, soprano
Mark Padmore, tenor
Alasdair Kent, tenor

Performers
Basel Symphony Orchestra
Ivor Bolton, conductor

Label: Prospero
Year: 2022
Total Timing: 69.44

 

 

 

 

I like the two song cycles quite a bit here. Mark Padmore may be too much at times, but better than lifeless.

The Suite from Gloriana has better recordings elsewhere, though. For whatever reason, Bolton allows the music to sound under-powered.

All told, not too bad.