Review - Cherry Ripe: Vocal Treasures of the 18th and 19th Centuries - Melba Records

Cherry Ripe: Vocal Treasures of the 18th and 19th Centuries

Deborah Riedel, soprano
Arcadia Lane Orchestra. Richard Bonynge, conductor
Melba Recordings MR 301118

This release could be a continuation of Richard Bonynge’s exploration of the art and repertoire of the Prima Donna during the 18th and 19th centuries exemplified in the many recordings featuring his famous wife, Joan Sutherland, picking up where they left off when Sutherland retired. In his notes to the twenty-one items Bonynge links the composers and music to specific singers, even if not always a bona fide prima donna (as is the case with James Hook’s song "The Nightingale" which Bonynge reveals was premiered by a boy soprano, one Master Walsh).

Like Bonynge’s many recordings of 18th and early 19th century music with or without Sutherland, although obviously well informed in matters of textural fidelity, there is no attempt at creating an ‘early music’ sound or approach to the period instrumental playing. Similar recordings of vocal music from this era such as Henry Bishop’s Shakespeare settings dating from 1816-1821 and recorded by the Musicians of the Globe under Philip Pickett (Decca 470 381-2) give a vocal and instrumental sound scape more in keeping with current performance practice.

Although dealing with cancer Deborah Riedel maintained an international singing career over the last decade. Sadly she died in January this year, 18 months after recording the present album. My last experience with her as a singer was her as soprano soloist in a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performance of the Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony in April 2006. Riedel's early career was marked by a bright and very flexible voice that was shown to its best advantage in one of her first important assignments, Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust. That same brightness was still apparent in the Vaughan Williams, joined by a powerful thrust that made her excursions into the dramatic soprano repertoire understandable. Considering her circumstances at the time of the recording Riedel’s voice is elegantly controlled with some really nice, fine detail. Like Sutherland’s, Riedel’s voice also attained darker, dramatic colouring but retaining a pleasant sounding smoothness. Also like Sutherland, at least in the present recording, that smoothness is attained at the cost of audibility; vowels and consonants are smoothed over to the extent that it is difficult to make out the words she is singing, even in famous songs like the title track "Cherry Ripe" or "The Lass of Richmond Hill".

The selected songs too are all short, nothing is longer than 5 minutes and most tracks are only 2 or 3 minutes. Nothing is in the grander concert aria style, most are in a slow tempo and very few call for much in the way of vocal ornamentation.

A ‘boutique’ label, Melba recordings can also offer equally boutique packaging, often with booklets that resemble a pocket-sized novella. This release is modest in comparison. As the composers are largely forgotten the booklet notes, by Bonynge, are informative and well researched, if occasionally inaccurate. He claims Niccolo Zingarelli’s first complete opera was Montezuma when, in fact, Zingarelli had composed operas while still a student and which were performed. This is a minor quibble however. To have a CD coming with a booklet at all, let alone one with so many pages of tracking information, is getting to be a luxury.

this is an expanded version of a review published in the Music Council of Australia's Music Forum magazine.