The three orchestral song cycles collected here are central to the Britten canon of recorded repertoire and whereas Pears’ other recordings of the ‘Serenade’ and ‘Les Illuminations’ (with Boyd Neel and Benjamin Britten as conductors) have been in circulation, this mono recording with Goossens receives its first and much-anticipated release on CD. All three recordings date from the 1950s and catch Pears in full vocal flight.
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Serenade for tenor, horn & strings, Op. 31*
Les Illuminations, Op. 18*
Nocturne for tenor, seven obbligato instruments & strings, Op. 60
Peter Pears, tenor
Dennis Brain, horn
New Symphony Orchestra*
Eugene Goossens*
Benjamin Britten
* First Release on CD
*** ‘The Decca performance [of the Nocturne] is as nearly definitive as anything could be. Pears as always is the ideal interpreter, the composer a most efficient conductor, and the fiendishly difficult obbligato parts are played superbly. The recording is brilliant and clear, with just the right degree of atmosphere’ Penguin Guide
‘Dennis Brain’s horn playing is magical, almost ethereal in its beautiful timbre, with Peter Pears superb in both these works…Goossen’s conducting cannot be faulted’ (***) Penguin Guide
‘We have to be grateful to Eloquence for making these recordings available again after so many years’ MusicWeb