Choral & Song

Britten • Canteloube

Britten: Quatre Chansons Françaises; Les illuminations; Canteloube: Chants d’Auvergne

Mari Eriksmoen (soprano); Bergen Philharmonic/Edward Gardner

Chandos CHSA 5289 (CD/SACD) 74:15 mins

In Britten’s Les illuminations, the generally bell-like accuracy of Norwegian soprano Mari Eriksmoen’s singing is more than matched by the expressive truth of her interpretations. She is most beguiling when floating her voice weightlessly and with a serene joie de vivre in ‘Antique’, perfectly partnered by the lovely violin playing of the Bergen Philharmonic leader Melina Mandozzi. And the crisp precision with which Eriksmoen despatches her commentary on the grotesque ‘Parade’, rapid-fire low Gs included, is spellbinding.

So why not five stars? Notwithstanding the Bergen orchestra’s excellent playing, Edward Gardner takes some liberties with Britten’s meticulous score. In ‘Interlude’, as in his previous recording of (also on Chandos), he disregards Britten’s repeated requests for , taking the piece at a listless tempo and starting each falling string phrase a wan . Gardner also introduces several new misreadings: in ‘Fanfare’, a premature upward glissando slightly spoils the effect of building to an exuberant boil; and the rather too perky tempo (certainly not ) taken for ‘Royauté’ makes it seem fidgety rather than endearingly excited. Furthermore, Eriksmoen’s tuning in ‘Being Beauteous’ is a microtone flat through the first dozen bars, which rather spoils