There's no stopping the Price/Johnson bandwagon just now. Here is yet another profoundly enjoyable and well-considered offering from the pair. With Johnson to devise intelligent, logical programmes, Price and himself to interpret them, a remarkable unanimity of thought and confidence of manner is being achieved, the delights there for the taking.

Here we begin with six contrasted settings of Heine, all reasonably familiar songs, each given with a nice balance between breadth of phrasing and warmth of feeling, on both sides admirably tailored to the Brahms ethos and melos in the matter of song-writing. Some of these pieces appeared some years ago on an Orfeo recital by Price (2/87): the readings have matured like a good wine and now-as in Sommerabend-go to the very heart of the matter with a marvellous intertwining of voice and piano. The account of its companion-piece, Mondenschein, not before recorded by the soprano, fully realizes its autumnal melancholy in phrases that seem to linger endlessly in the air. As an emotional relief comes the charm and lightness of Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!.

The judicious choice of Volkslieder settings once more indicates Brahms's deep understanding of the originals and just how to clothe them in appropriate harmonies, as in the antique Dorian mode of Sehnsucht and Vergangen ist mir Gluck und Heil, both sung and played here with an exquisite sense of longing. The singer changes colour, brightens her tone, for the bantering duologue of Spannung. Then there is the Schwung given to the repeated lines at the end of Madchenfluch, characterizing the girl's spite and frustration. Da unten im Tale is entirely free from the sophistication, admittedly effective, brought to it by Schwarzkopf on so many occasions: here the sad little plaint is allowed to speak for itself, but the verdict goes the other way in Vergebliches Standchen where Price is a trifle too staid.

Finally, the partnership lavish a winningly uninhibited elan on the Zigeunerlieder. If we are occasionally aware of a momentary strain on Price's present resources, we are consoled by the passionate spontaneity of the results. The recording is ideally balanced, intimate yet open.

Price must surely now be placed in the royal line of female Lieder singers that runs from Gerhardt and Lehmann, through Seefried, Schwarzkopf and Ludwig, to Ameling. The length of her actual discography of Lieder must now at least rival theirs. Being greedy, I wish she and Johnson would now turn their attention to Hugo Wolf.

-- Alan Blyth, Gramophone

SMITH, Bessie: I've Got What It Takes (1929-1933)

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