By reading the text of the songs before listening, one is prepared to enjoy the musical choices these composers make for each word. Woerner's diction is faultless. Luening's compositional style in these songs is not what one might expect from someone who, with Vladimir Ussachevsky, established the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. As a flutist himself, Luening wrote frequently for the combination of flute and soprano. In the latter Starer gives the soprano the challenge of virtuosic passages and high range, and creates a dialogue with flute and clarinet.
String quartet completes the sonority.
The whole is a fascinating little drama, very effectively set to music. Starer sets each appropriately with extraordinary wordpainting. This CD is a major contribution to the recording field. It provides rewarding minutes of music. One result will surely be that many singers will add these works to their repertory.