Soprano
Erin Morley
has performed widely and appeared on various opera recordings, but this is her debut recital album. One hopes to hear more in this vein from her! She has a medium-sized voice that is perfectly suited to song repertory. The title,
Rose in Bloom
, suggests the flower theme here but could also apply to
Morley
herself, who truly hits her stride with perfect control over the high notes that populate most of the songs. The songs are mostly from the late Romantic era or the 20th century, with one contemporary group, the
Huit Chansons de Fleurs
(actually in English) by American composer
Ricky Ian Gordon
. These, with texts by classic poets and by
Gordon
himself, are a bit more relaxed than the exacting numbers that open the program, which works well as a contrasting stretch, and in general, the variety of
's program is impressive. The songs cover flowers of many kinds, as well as the birds that feed from them, and each one is vivid. Sample
Saint-Saëns
little-known "Le Rossignol et la Rose," from ballet music for a play called
Parysatis
, with its arresting nightingale call at the beginning.
gets exquisite support from pianist
Gerald Martin Moore
, a famed teacher and vocal consultant with whom she has worked frequently in the past. A wonderful song recital and a can't-fail gift for the gardener in one's life. ~ James Manheim