04. - 06. Roger Quilter - Three Shakespeare Songs, op.6 [6'49]
07. - 11. Gerald Finzi - Let us garlands bring, op.18 [15'47]
12. - 14. Trad. (arr. Benjamin Britten) - Three Folk Songs of the British Isles [8'16]
15. - 23. Ralph Vaughan Williams - Songs of Travel [22'24]
Teddy Tahu Rhodes- baritone and Sharolyn Kimmorley- piano
ABC Classics 4767175 [recorded August 2002; digital download released 2005]
[digital download; cover and inlay scans - no booklet]
Recording venue: Eugene Goossens Hall of the ABC’s Ultimo Centre, SydneyRecording engineer: Allan Maclean; Producers: Virginia Read & Stephen Snelleman
It is perhaps unkind to have Teddy Tahu Rhodes, New Zealand's foremost baritone (Jonathan Lemalu identifies more as Samoan than Kiwi), follow Roderick Williams' exemplary recordings of these Vaughan Williams and Finzi song cycles. Even though being better known in Australian and USA opera houses rather than in New Zealand and Europe, and even in those countries being much more familiar as an operatic singer rather than recitalist, he stands up rather well to the comparison.
Like Williams, his diction is impeccable and for native English speakers the lack of texts being provided presents few problems. Rhodes' voice is equally rich and beautiful with well controlled vibrato. The Ireland, Vaughan Williams and the three Britten Folk Song settings are particularly attractive and it's good to have performances free of the over-emotional and over-emphasised singing often heard in these songs. John Ireland's Sea Fever is a regular victim.
It also seems unkind to have Finzi's masterly Shakespeare settings follow so closely on the heels of Roger Quilter's more prosaic ones - although Rhodes does bring out the best in the latter.
Sharolyn Kimmorley's accompaniments are a little detached at times but better that than an overly romantic and sentimental approach in this repertoire. Excellent recorded sound as usual from the ABC.