"As a parent of a new baby and a classical music afficionado, I was delighted to find When Night Falls; it is now a favorite of my daughter and myself. Kirschlager's phrasing is nothing short of phenomenal, making even the simple Brahm's lullaby (#3 on the CD) more compelling and emotional. Her warm tones are especially complimented where the viola and cello are present (try #s 4 and 5). Can German lyrics be light and lilting? Yes, when Kirchschlager sings them. This CD is a great way to expose your baby to classical music, AND get him/her off to dreamland."
Voice of an Angel
William Thacker | Notting Hill, London | 05/02/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was first introduced to Ms. Kirchlager three years ago and was instantly impressed. Her sumptuous voice and incredible beauty make her a delight to listen to, time and time again. When Night Falls, is only the most recent of what promises to be a long and impressionable career. From the ever popular "Edelweiss" to the easily recognizable "Wiegenlied", Ms. Kirchschlager approaches each song with the same heart-felt emotion as if she were singing to her own child. I have often listened to her CD late at night to help myself fall into my own sweet dreamland of "The Little Horses"."
Lullabies for Young and Old
Giselle E. Whitwell | Austin, TX | 03/21/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This recording of lullabies stands out because of the exquisite musical sensibility it brings to each song. Angelika Kirschschlager's voice is so transparent and pure, so expressive, it delights both children and adults. The diverse instrumentation adds variety to the otherwise well known repertoire, even if the balance is not always a happy one as for example the Brahms "Gestillte Sehnsucht". The artist has succeeded in presenting the well known form of "lullabies" to a wider audience through her high artistic vision and execution."
An Example of When Crossover Works
Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 01/09/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Angelika Kirchschlager is well known on the operatic stage and in chamber and orchestral programs where her forte is Mozart and Bach. Hers is a voice creamy rich and produced with incredible intelligence. She is also a communicator - in recital, in opera, in anything she does. It comes as no surprise then that an artist of this caliber (or her agent....!) is able to set the standard for the now ubiquitous 'crossover album' that most of the major singers find it necessary to make to gather in more admirers.
Selecting a wide variety of lullabies with varying settings feels so natural in Kirchschlager's elegant mezzo-soprano voice. Other artists have produced recitals of lullabies: Dawn Upshaw and Richard Goode immediately come to mind. But in this album, though not all of the works are of genius quality, Kirchschlager gives each her considerable talent and the result is a little night music that is equally as lovely for adults as for the intended audience of children (and of course their parents...).
With fine support from the London Metropolitan Ensemble, pianists Roger Vignoles and Helmut Deutsch, guitarist John Williams and violist Yuri Bashmet among others, Kirchschlager offers a rich variety of songs from Mozart, von Weber, Haydn, Brahms, Schubert, Canteloube, de Falla, Copeland, Sondheim, Rogers and Hammerstein and Zelimsky. And no matter the language or the setting they all work. This is an album to cherish and share and raises the respect for Angelika Kirchschlager even higher. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, January 06"
A Wonderful Gift for a Baby!
J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 02/14/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Our family has just been blessed with a new grandson and one of my very thoughtful friends had the brilliant and generous idea to send the baby a copy of this wonderful collection of lullabies and nightsongs done so stunningly by the marvelous German mezzo, Angelika Kirchschlager. I am happy to report that the very first selection, Schubert's 'Wiegenlied' ('Cradle Song'), seemed to make him smile, even at his tender age. This bodes well for his developing discriminating musical taste because Ms Kirchschlager is a terrific singer. Her various accompanists provide sensitive support for her lovely and perfectly managed voice. She sings with impeccable diction in several languages and even in English I don't pick up any accent at all.
I must point out, however, that Amazon has listed the contents of this disc in an order different from that on the CD, but the musical samples they provide do match the titles listed.