Beethoven: Orchestral Songs

 

A recording such as this really only works if you enjoy the vocal quality of the singers performing. The enjoyment of singers is truly an individual taste, so having me tick off the plusses and minuses of the performers here is probably only for my own tongue wagging, as what other listeners enjoy won't necessarily be what I enjoy, so different are singing voice preferences.

Yet, much of the music on this program of Beethoven's orchestral songs are mostly locked behind large boxes of Beethoven's music, not easily to pick out individually on individual recordings, so there is some relevance for listening to this recording, regardless of vocal preferences.

The first four operatic scenas are sung by Finnish soprano Reetta Haavisto. I have come across her singing in a few entries of Segerstam's Beethoven series on Naxos. I find her voice overly large, with a too wide vibrato, although some might enjoy her grand, thickly draped singing style. She is able to control her voice, as demonstrated in the popular Ah! Perfido; listen to the start of the Aria proper and the later utterances of moriro. She finds a moment of vocal calm, where almost everywhere else she prefers big declamations. Of course, maybe her approach is apt, as the soprano songs are all wrapped up in finding, keeping, and losing love, with her final song an ode to good fitting shoes!

US baritone Kevin Greenlaw receives the boastful arias, proclaiming his adeptness with women to all who will listen. These are lighter in tone compared to the soprano songs, thus they allow the listener to breathe a little freer from the soprano's love ailings. Greenlaw has a perfectly strong baritone, if not with the haughty richness of starrier singers.

A fresh-faced youthful quality comes from Finnish tenor Dan Karlström, who sings with great ardor in his one aria to himself. I guess I would describe Karlström as a lyric tenor, as he doesn't have the Italiante ringing quality of a heroic tenor, but finds more brightness than someone like Vinson Cole, and doesn't necessarily bleat like a British tenor. After his single song, he continues on in a love duet with Reetta Haavisto, a couple whose voices would never be paired together by a matchmaker based on sound alone. I suppose love is blind...

All three singers come together for the last song, one which sounds like a swashbuckling operetta ensemble piece. If I had to have my guesses, I would suppose the soprano and tenor were being held captive by the baritone brigand, or so listening to the music informs my imagination. Luckily for those interested, Naxos provides printed song texts and translations, ones I haven't gotten around to quite yet.

As with each of their entries in Beethoven on Naxos, the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra impresses with their lovely tone throughout, although the focus here is firmly on the singers. Leif Segerstam can be nice and springy with tempos, especially in the men's and ensemble numbers. With Haavisto, Segerstam drags too much, making those songs sound rather endless. Some might enjoy that quality, however these light Mozart-ian arias can only take so much loving caresses. Whether these choices come from conductor or singer is hard to tell, but firmly sets those pieces well behind starrier outings on record.

Compare if you will, but recitals such as this are hard to come by without investing in a larger box set.

 

 

Works
Primo amore, WoO 92 (15.55)
Ah! Perfido, op. 65 (13.36)
No, non turbati, WoO 92a (6.49)
Soll ein schuh nicht Drücken, WoO 91 no. 2 (5.54)
Prüfung des Küssens, WoO 89 (5.35)
Mit Mädeln sich vertragen, WoO 90 (4.10)
O welch ein Leben, WoO 91 no. 1 (3.09)
Ne' giorni tuoi felici, WoO 93 (7.51)
Tremate, empi, op. 116 (9.07)

Soloists
Reetta Haavisto, soprano
Dan Karlström, tenor
Kevin Greenlaw, baritone

Performers
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Leif Segerstam, conductor

Label: Naxos
Year: 2019
Total Timing: 72.38

 

 

My dislike of Reetta Haavisto's soprano might not be yours, however, Segerstam takes a broad tempo during her songs as well, not endearing me to them.

The rest of the program is lighter and easier to entertain, as it did me. Plus, this music is running rampant on individual recording, so I can excuse some dislikes to hear Beethoven's early orchestral songs.

Find more Beethoven recordings HERE!