Karita Mattila's large, focused, warmly expressive soprano is especially well suited to the music of the Romantic and post-Romantic eras, so it seems natural that she would have an affinity for the vocal music of her countryman Jean Sibelius, whose songs are among his most passionate compositions. Sibelius was a prolific song composer, but his production of vocal solos petered out in the 1920s, around the same time he wrote his last symphony, not long before he virtually ceased producing new works. The selection of 24 songs ...
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Karita Mattila's large, focused, warmly expressive soprano is especially well suited to the music of the Romantic and post-Romantic eras, so it seems natural that she would have an affinity for the vocal music of her countryman Jean Sibelius, whose songs are among his most passionate compositions. Sibelius was a prolific song composer, but his production of vocal solos petered out in the 1920s, around the same time he wrote his last symphony, not long before he virtually ceased producing new works. The selection of 24 songs recorded here dates from 1891 to 1917 and includes his only song cycle, Flower Songs, Op. 88, from 1917. The songs are especially attractive, harmonically lush and melodically gratifying, beautifully constructed, and written to show off the virtuosic possibilities of the voice. Many of them, such as "Fåfäng önskan" and "Svarta rosor," lie very high, but Mattila soars and floats through their punishing tessitura with apparent effortlessness. Her robust soprano is absolutely secure...
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Add this copy of Songs to cart. $17.48, fair condition, Sold by Valleys Books & More rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Roanoke, VA, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Ondine.
Add this copy of Songs to cart. $30.47, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Alliance.
