Anne Sofie von Otter - Beethoven, Meyerbeer, Spohr ~ Lieder / Melvyn Tan
A new disc from Anne Sofie von Otter always arouses eager expectation, whatever the repertoire. None of the composers featured on this recording ofLieder and Mélodiesis regarded primarily for his songwriting prowess, yet von Otter conjures winner after winner. Even at their lightest, these pieces never fail to charm, and some of them do a good deal more than that.Listen to the way that Meyerbeer reflects the text of "La Fille de l'air" (The daughter of the air) in the tinkling accompaniment, superbly realized by Melvyn Tan. Or the way the arching violin arabesques spice up the vocal line in the first of Spohr's irresistible Six Lieder. And Beethoven's tolling "In questa tomba oscura" (In this dark grave) is a small masterpiece, as is, in a quite different vein, Meyerbeer's deceptively simple "Sicilienne." It is only in some of the darker songs (such as Meyerbeer's setting of "Le Voeu pendant l'orage") that the difference between prodigious talent and genius is made explicit. And, of course, comparison between Spohr's timid "Erlkönig" and Schubert's infernal creation is as inevitable as it is cruel.As one would expect from such an experienced lieder artist, the program is  beautifully constructed, with songs carefully placed for maximal variety, not just of tone but also of instrumentation (excellent playing from clarinetist Eric Hoeprich and violinist Nils-Erik Sparf). This is another winner from von Otter and friends.--Harriet Smith