Reynaldo Hahn, Susan Graham, Roger Vignoles - Susan Graham - La Belle A‰poque (The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn)

Lyric mezzo-soprano Susan Graham stands out from the crowd for her expressive, opulent voice and communicative gifts. Someone at Sony has made the decision to place her in the public mind primarily as a singer of French works, and although it would be a shame to see her limited to that area of the repertoire, she does sing the French repertoire exceptionally. Graham sings sensitively and idiomatically in this group of 24 songs by Reynaldo Hahn (1875-1947), a Venezuelan-born, French-reared composer and conductor who knew how to craft a song like few others. In such lovely songs as "A Chloris," which opens the album, and "Je me souviens," Hahn creates a bevy of beautiful little worlds, which Graham and the outstanding pianist Roger Vignoles present in memorable form. This album belongs in the collection of all lovers of song. --Sarah Bryan Miller Amazon.com

Exquisite singer; extraordinary recording

Susan Graham is an incredible artist and
this is one of my favorite of her CDs.

Hearing her in person is even better; her musicality,
her diction, her style, her physical appearance on stage,
add to the sheer beauty of her voice. The one time I heard
her in person, I was stunned.
The recital was as close to perfection as one can get.

I highly recommend this CD and any other CD of Susan Graham.

Geraldine Hubbell
Lafayette, LA

September 30, 2007

Susan Graham, Songs of Reynaldo Hahn

Stunning. The sticker on the front of the CD (New York Times quote) says it all: "breathtaiking and unforgettable!". January 9, 2007

Excellent Catalyst for Seduction. Buy It.

'La Belle Epoque, The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn' by mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, accompanied by pianist, Roger Vignoles, is much different from my earlier subject of a Graham Review, some songs from Berlioz. The Berlioz material struck me as a concerto for orchestra and voice. This was excellent material for to wow a mate on a first date. Reynaldo Hahn's chamber songs are for much more intimate venues and objectives. Even more than any other 'Lieder' or 'Chansom' specialist I can think of, these are the sorts of things you want to use when the object is seduction.

The songs are so gentle and so seductive that they are as likely to set the tone for the seducer as well as for the seductee. Even if you are not in a seductive situation, the songs will make you want to be there.

All this means is that while Reynaldo Hahn does not have the great reputation of Berlioz or Shubert or Schuman or Debussy, you really should know his songs, and Ms. Graham does a great interpretation to make this introduction. May 19, 2006

Graham's Artistry Makes for Compelling Listening in a Collection of Songs from a 'Minor' Composer

This was only Graham's second solo outing, and for many listeners it confirmed the promise of her début recording of "Les Nuits d'été" -- an unusual accomplishment for a relatively minor project.

I know the songs of Reynaldo Hahn from a number of worthy recordings from other artists -- Rachel Yakar, Martyn Hill, Bruno Laplante, Mady Mesplé, Graham Johnson & Co. (the Hyperion French Song Edition), one-offs on Elly Ameling albums, not to mention vintage recordings by Hahn himself. All the same, this recording was a complete revelation. Her beauty of tone, her ease with the French language (surpassing, I daresay, the much-vaunted Francophony of Felicity Lott), her canny selection of songs, Vignoles's sensitive accompaniment, they all add up. But there's that (ahem) je-ne-sais-quoi that makes something a classic, and this album has it. It captures an era, it creates a time and place that come wafting out of your speakers.

My favorite song on this record is "Si la nuit n'est pas étoilée" -- it is a rapturous melody to a quintessential Victor Hugo text. But there is nary a false note on the entire album. I do recommend, if you can find it, the Ameling album "Serenata," which includes two Hahn songs I haven't encountered elsewhere, "L'amitié" with its faint melancholy and "La vie est belle" with its French élan.

As we know, Graham has gone on to much bigger things, but she retains her commitment to the art of song and to breathing fresh life into French rarities (as in her delightful operetta album). In terms of tone, timbre, and intonation, for my money she has the most beautiful voice in opera today. My only hope is that she doesn't go the way of Ren?e Fleming and become The Voice Beautiful ... she veered a bit in that direction with her recent Chausson record, and I hope she gets back to business and gets her vivid personality back in action in her song performances. February 26, 2006

The beauty of "La Belle Époque"

This is one of the most beautiful vocal recordings I have recently experienced. The songs of Reynaldo Hahn are beautiful gems exquisitly presented by the polished voice of Susan Graham. I have gone back to this recording many times. September 13, 2005

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