Slovenija! Chansons slovènes : Bernarda Fink, Marcos Fink, Anthony Spiri

Slovenija! Chansons slovènes
Bernarda Fink, Marcos Fink, Anthony Spiri

Étroitement associée au folklore des Balkans, la tradition musicale slovène recèle une branche romantique née à la confluence des Alpes et de la mer Adriatique, entre Autriche et Italie. Très attachés à leur pays d'origine (leurs parents sont slovènes), Bernarda et Marcos Fink ont sélectionné les mélodies et duos les plus représentatifs d’un style qui, au tournant du XXe siècle, marie l’exigence poétique des grands centres musicaux européens – l'influence du lied y est évidente – à l’expression de son identité propre.

Œuvres de Lajovic, Gerzinic, Skerjanc, Pavcic, Ipavec, Prelovec, Masek, Gerbic, Adamic et Jenko.

I did not see the point of taking valuable Fanfare space listing each of the 32 songs on this disc. The chances are extremely high that you have none of them in your collection. These are late 19th- and early 20th-century songs by Slovenian composers, sung by two superb singers of Slovenian descent. They range from the witty (Grandpa Single-Leg by Josip Pavcic) to the patriotic (Anton Lajovic’s My Fatherland) to the wistful (Lucijan Škerjanc’s White Clouds) and the tender (Emil Adamic’s Lullaby). In most cases the piano writing leans toward the simple, though there are some exceptions. But throughout, these composers have produced attractive songs, songs that communicate immediately and directly to the listener.
If you must have the angst of Wolf or Mahler, or the depth of Schubert, in your songs, this is probably not for you. But if you do avoid it, you will be missing a set of extremely charming and lovely songs. You will hear the influence of Brahms and Dvorák in many of these songs, elsewhere perhaps Strauss. There are no strongly individual voices among these composers, no one who stands out with his own distinctive voice. But neither are there many duds here. Every song will bring pleasure.
This is particularly true because of the singing of the Fink brother and sister. They were born in Argentina of Slovenian parents, and both have important international careers. Often this kind of repertoire attracts specialist singers with vocal or musical limitations, but here we have two major artists giving their all to these songs. In addition, pianist Anthony Spiri is a full-scale partner, even if some of the piano writing is not as interesting as he might have wished. Still, the mark of an artist is that he gives full attention even to less demanding material, and Spiri does that. These composers could not ask for more than they get from the Finks and Spiri.
The recorded sound is natural and well balanced, the notes are very informative, and there are multilingual texts. Oddly, the back of the case says that the duration is 69:65, rather than either 70:05 (which would be the equivalent, but which the disc is not), or 69:15, which it is. But if that’s the only flaw I can find, that would define the disc as a winner. I’m on my third hearing, and still enjoying it. -- FANFARE: Henry Fogel
 

Closely associated with the folklore of the Balkans, the musical tradition of Slovenia also has a Romantic branch born at the confluence of the Alps and the Adriatic, between Austria and Italy. Bernarda and Marcos Fink (whose parents are Slovenian) have selected the most representative songs and duets of a style which, around the turn of the 20th century, combined the poetic rigour of the great European musical centres with the expression of national identity. Bernarda Fink’s repertoire ranges from Baroque to 20th - century, and she appears regularly with such great international orchestras as the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonics as well as celebrated Baroque ensembles. Among the conductors with whom she works are Nikolaus Harnoncourt, René Jacobs, Mariss Jansons and Riccardo Muti.
Bernarda Fink has taken part in more than 50 recordings, many of them for harmonia mundi. Her brother, bass-baritone Marcos has performed in concert halls and opera houses around the world. Marcos Fink is also an enthusiastic interpreter of lieder. He has participated in numerous CD recordings ranging from Baroque to contemporary music. After Canciones argentinas, this recital of Slovenian songs is the second recording the siblings Fink have made for harmonia mundi. -- PrestoClassical


Financial Times
2nd April 2011
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“[The Finks] throw a spotlight on the little known Slovenian art-song repertoire of the late 19th century, when nationalism swept the east European fringe, defining its multi-ethnic culture in poetry and music. The salon style of these duets and solos echoes Tchaikovsky’s: the Finks have done us a favour.”


International Record Review
April 2011
“These composers' voices are distinctive and Bernarda Fink and her brother Marcos...are persuasive advocates for their music. Marcos is an attractively buzz-saw-sounding bass-baritone with a hint of Southern Comfort in the middle of the voice...Bernarda is on tip-top form too...The top of the voice too has a silvery lining to it.”

Gramophone Magazine
September 2011
“Throughout, the singing of both artists is wonderfully sensitive and persuasively understanding on a disc that will give continuing pleasure, vividly recorded and admirably documented.”

Adamic:

Trobentice (Primroses)

Uspavanka (Lullaby)

Gerbic:

Kam? (Where?)

Pojdem na prejo (I’ll Watch the Girls Spinning)

V noci (In the Night)

with Marcos Fink (bass-baritone)

Geržinic:

Žalostno pismo (Sad Letter)

Jesenska pesem (Autumn Song)

Mrak Dusk

Pomladna radost (Spring Delight)

Ipavec:

Pomladni pocitek (Spring Rest)

with Marcos Fink (bass-baritone)

V noci (In the Night)

Divja roža in bršljan (Wild Rose and Ivy)

Pomladna noc (Spring Night)

Mak žari (Poppy Glows)

Božji volek (Ladybird)

V spominsko knjigo (In a Memorial Book)

Pomladni veter (Spring Breeze)

Jenko:

Na tujih tleh (Abroad)

with Marcos Fink (bass-baritone)

Lajovic:

Mesec v izbi (My Fatherland)

Kaj bi le gledal (Jamie Come Try Me)

Serenada (Serenade)

Mašek, K:

Pod oknom (Under the Window)

Pavcic:

Dedek samonog (Grandpa Single-Leg)

Uspavanka II (Lullaby No. 2)

Ciciban

Cicifuj

Prelovec:

Jesenska noc (Autumn Night)

Škerjanc:

Jesenska Pesem (Autumn Song)

Vizija (Vision)

Vecerna impresija (Evening Impression)

Pocitek pod goro (Moon over Mountain Pass)

Pesem (Song)

Beli oblaki (White Clouds)