Search - Clement, DAVID :: Complete Pathe Recordings (1916-25)

A unique French stylist

Charlus | NYC | 12/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These old hill-and-dale Pathés Saphir are noisy and erratic and even that magician Ward Marston, who has done so much wonderful work making historic recordings sound as good as possible, cannot make that much with them. It is nonetheless very much worth the bother, because Clément was one of the most elegant stylists in the history of singing-certainly singing on records-and every one of these items is wonderful. I particularly love the Berlioz: this music is simply never well performed any more, especially by the voice for which it was intended, the tenor voice.



In opéra comique and, especially, in the art song of the Victorian era, Clément was unique: the chimeric tenderness and poetry of his singing, the perfect French enunciation, the really creative musicianship. His light voice, clear and perfectly placed, was nothing special. Everything else about his singing was.

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