Susan Graham: La Belle Epoque - The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn
Lyric mezzo-soprano Susan Graham stands out from the crowd for her expressive, opulent voice and communicative gifts. Someone at Sony has made the decision to place her in the public mind primarily as a singer of French works, and although it would be a shame to see her limited to that area of the repertoire, she does sing the French repertoire exceptionally. Graham sings sensitively and idiomatically in this group of 24 songs by Reynaldo Hahn (1875-1947), a Venezuelan-born, French-reared composer and conductor who knew how to craft a song like few others. In such lovely songs as "A Chloris," which opens the album, and "Je me souviens," Hahn creates a bevy of beautiful little worlds, which Graham and the outstanding pianist Roger Vignoles present in memorable form. This album belongs in the collection of all lovers of song.--Sarah Bryan Miller