Notes and Editorial Reviews
CLOUD
4 Mélodies de Ronsard
1.
4 Songs of the Heart
2.
De Amor Oscuro.
3
3 Songs from
Gleanings
4.
3 Cançôes
5.
4 Sonnets by Pablo Neruda
6.
Songs of Need & Desire
7
•
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class="SUPER12">1
Tod Fitzpatrick (bar);
2,6
Judith Cloud (mez);
3,5
Ricardo Pereira (ten);
4
Deborah Raymond (sop);
7
Eileen Strempel (sop);
1,3,5
Robert Mills,
2,4,6
Rita Borden, (pn);
4
Jeremy Reynolds (cl);
7
Kenneth Meyer (gtr)
•
SUMMIT DCD 562 (65:12
Text and Translation)
"The composer-singer is a much rarer bird than the composer-pianist. When I saw this recital of songs by Judith Cloud, and the fact that she also sings a number of them, I was immediately reminded of Samuel Barber, whose own sung recording of his
Dover Beach
reveals a pleasant, if not particularly distinguished, baritone voice. I can say the same of Cloud, whose voice is capable, but not of world-class stature. Her main failing as a singer resides in her lack of consistent tonal focus, and the slightly aged sound of the voice. Nevertheless, one appreciates the fact that she
knows
the voice in her song writing, and also knows
what
to do with the songs she has written.
The songs themselves are quite lovely, being tonally conceived, and using extended chords, modal harmonies, and deft movement between one tonal region and another. The vocal lines are idiomatic to the voice, and I imagine are rewarding to sing. Texts are set intelligently, and there is good variety in texture and mood from one song to the next. There is also a lot of interest in the accompanying (largely piano) parts. The quality of these songs rises far above the level of the dilettante.
Singers looking for new repertoire might especially want to investigate these well-crafted songs by a composer who deserves to be better known."
FANFARE: David DeBoor Canfield
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Works on This Recording
1.
Quatre mélodies de Ronsard, for voice & piano by Judith Cloud
Performer:
Robert Mills (Piano),
Tod Fitzpatrick ()
Period: Contemporary
Length: 10 Minutes 27 Secs.
2.
Four Songs of the Heart, for voice & piano by Judith Cloud
Performer:
Judith Cloud (),
Rita Borden (Piano)
Period: Contemporary
Length: 13 Minutes 4 Secs.
3.
De amor oscuro, for voice & piano by Judith Cloud
Performer:
Ricardo Pereira (),
Robert Mills (Piano)
Period: Contemporary
Length: 5 Minutes 4 Secs.
4.
Three Songs from "Gleanings", for voice & piano by Judith Cloud
Performer:
Deborah Raymond (),
Rita Borden (Piano),
Jeremy Reynolds (Clarinet)
Period: Contemporary
Length: 7 Minutes 24 Secs.
5.
Três Cançoes, for voice & piano by Judith Cloud
Performer:
Ricardo Pereira (),
Robert Mills (Piano)
Period: Contemporary
Length: 7 Minutes 39 Secs.
6.
Four Sonnets by Pablo Neruda (Set 2), for voice & piano by Judith Cloud
Performer:
Rita Borden (Piano),
Judith Cloud ()
Period: Contemporary
Length: 13 Minutes 58 Secs.
7.
Songs of Need and Desire, for voice & piano by Judith Cloud
Performer:
Eileen Strempel (),
Kenneth Meyer (Guitar)
Period: Contemporary
Length: 10 Minutes 5 Secs.
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