Natalya Romaniw & Lada Valešová - Arion - Voyage of a Slavic Soul (2020) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Soprano Natalya Romaniw and pianist Lada Valešová take us on a journey through Slavic song on this sumptuous album. Welsh-born soprano Natalya Romaniw is of Ukrainian descent, roots she explores in this recital, which is dedicated to her Ukrainian grandfather. The generous programme encompasses a wealth of music by Russian and Czech composers. Dvorák's Love Songs, Op.83, are at the heart of the album, and his idiomatic Czech style influenced Janácek, from whom we hear a selection of Moravian folk songs. Novák in turn was fascinated by Moravian folk music and was influenced by Janácek; Novák's gift for melody shines in Romaniw's interpretations of his songs. From Russia, meanwhile, we hear magical, almost operatic music from Rimsky-Korsakov, powerful passion from Tchaikovsky, and some of Rachmaninov's most exquisite songs. Natalya Romaniw is often noted for the Slavic character of her voice, a quality heard to full effect on this recording.

TRACKLIST

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844 - 1908):

1 4 Romances, Op. 27: No. 1, Softly the Spirit Flew up to Heaven
2 2 Songs, Op. 56: No. 1, The Nymph
3 2 Songs, Op. 56: No. 2, Summer Night's Dream

Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904): Love Songs Op. 83, B. 160:

4 Love Songs Op. 83, B. 160: No. 1, Oh, That Longed-For Happiness
5 Love Songs Op. 83, B. 160: No. 2, So Many a Heart Is as Though Dead
6 Love Songs Op. 83, B. 160: No. 3, Around the House Now I Stagger
7 Love Songs Op. 83, B. 160: No. 4, I Know, with Sweet Hope
8 Love Songs Op. 83, B. 160: No. 5, Over the Landscape a Light Slumber Reigns
9 Love Songs Op. 83, B. 160: No. 6, In the Woods by the Stream
10 Love Songs Op. 83, B. 160: No. 7, In That Sweet Power of Your Eyes
11 Love Songs Op. 83, B. 160: No. 8, Oh Dear, Matchless Soul

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893):

12 12 Romances, Op. 60, TH 106: No. 12, The Gentle Stars Shone for Us
13 7 Romances, Op. 47, TH 103: No. 6, Does the Day Reign?
14 6 Romances, Op. 6, TH 93: No. 5, Why?

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - 1943):

15 6 Songs, Op. 4 (Excerpts): No. 4, Sing Not, O Lovely One
16 6 Songs, Op. 4 (Excerpts): No. 5, The Harvest of Sorrow
17 12 Songs, Op. 21: No. 7, How Fair This Spot
18 12 Romances, Op. 14: No. 11, Spring Waters
19 14 Romances, Op. 34: No. 5, Arion

Leoš Janáček (1854 - 1928): Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs, JW V/2 (Excerpts):

20 Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs, JW V/2 (Excerpts): No. 1, Love
21 Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs, JW V/2 (Excerpts): No. 16, Constancy
22 Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs, JW V/2 (Excerpts): No. 30, Rosemary
23 Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs, JW V/2 (Excerpts): No. 50, Musician

Vítězslav Novák (1870 - 1949): A Tale of the Heart Op. 8:

24 A Tale of the Heart Op. 8: No. 1, Melancholy Song
25 A Tale of the Heart Op. 8: No. 2, Is It a Dream?
26 A Tale of the Heart Op. 8: No. 3, Evening
27 A Tale of the Heart Op. 8: No. 4, Autumn Mood
28 A Tale of the Heart Op. 8: No. 5, When the Day Ends



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