Search - Maureen Forrester :: Sings Bach & Handel

Well conceived, but at times dry

Gapare Pacchierrotti | Canada | 12/28/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Maureen Forester is one of Canada's best known and loved singers. She is a contralto, thus less showy or famous as say, John Vickers. Still she has lots to offer. I must begin by saying her very regal manner ( mostly a result of singing far more concerts and oratorio than staged opera ) can remove some of the life from a piece, as it does here in places. Her *Erbarme Dich* is an example. The piece is flowing and in a way, lifeless. It is a solemn plea for mercy, actually to be very emotionally felt, but here sounds lovely, but very hopeless, like the plea is not worth the effort for the desired effect will not be realized. Most of what she sings can be heard by another great contralto to whom Maureen was often compared, and that is Kathleen Ferrier. Those who are familiar with Ferrier will be somewhat disappointed, as Ferrier has far more emotion in what she does. However, comparing the two is very unjust to both. Ferrier lived at a time when performance practices were much different. She also has a very deep heavy sounding voice compared to that of Forester. Forester's sound is silky smooth, evenly produced, and well placed. It is never pushed. For those who want to hear this music in such a stately and regal manner, this is a very excellent recording to buy. If Maureen Forester is not your type of singer, then you will not enjoy it, even if you enjoy the music. However, at no time will you actually ever find a bad part to this recording. It is excellent, with a good grasp of the style of the music sung. So why give it a 4, you may ask. Simply, it was not as exciting as this music can and should be performed. The real crime is not done by the singer, but the standard of interpretation -- this music has become the property of the scholars and not the public, it has become a textbook reading for students of music, and not a living entity."