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Shéhérazade (Frederica von Stade recording)
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Shéhérazade is a 40-minute studio album of art songs by Maurice Ravel performed by Frederica von Stade, some accompanied by a chamber group, others by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Seiji Ozawa. It was released in 1981. Recording The album was recorded digitally in Symphony Hall, Boston, on 8 October 1979 (tracks 1 - 3) and on 8 April 1980 (tracks 4 - 7), and in the Columbia 30th Street Studios, New York City on 10 November 1979 (tracks 8 - 10). Packaging The cover of the album was designed by Christopher Austopchuk under the art direction of Henrietta Condak, and features a photograph of von Stade taken by Valerie Clement. George Jellinek reviewed the album in Stereo Review in September 1981. The new disc, he wrote, had much to commend it: subtle balancing of elements, fine instrumental performances, and certainly, the many attractive qualities of Frederica von Stade's singing - her musicianship, tonal purity, and idiomatic handling of the texts. There were things, however, that he missed here. A wider emotional and dynamic range was called for, to say nothing of more pronounced timbral contrasts. The singer suggested the primitive elements in the Chansons Madécasses but failed to hint at the fierceness in such a song as "Aoua!". In the Hebraic songs he missed the dimension of earthiness. Much of the singing had a beautiful, almost hypnotic quality - Ravel's exquisite sonorities tended to dull the senses and Jellinek was by no means ungrateful for streams of beautiful sound. But at times he'd have liked to hear more angularity or, perhaps, more spontaneity. The overall recorded sound was marvellous. J. B. Steane wrote about the album in Gramophone in January 1982. If Norman's recording had a more sensuous luxury of gorgeous tone, he wrote, Frederica von Stade's had more tang, more appetite, more liveliness. The Chansons madécasses were also beautifully performed by von Stade, the evening stillness and relaxation of the last song marvellously well caught. Steane returned to von Stade's Shéhérazade in January 1998, writing a Gramophone review of a compilation CD that combined the cycle with the contents of von Stade's later album, Nuits d'été & La damoiselle élue. Frederica von Stade brought to everything, he wrote, but especially the French repertoire, a personal touch evoking a kind of affectionate sadness; exactly the mood for L'indifférent. Occasionally the familiar patina of wear appeared on the voice in the louder and higher passages. But her singing was fine in the caress (an exquisitely gentle portamento) of the "séduisante" and the forlornly wistful invitation "Entre". Patrick O'Connor compared von Stade's Shéhérazade with other versions in Gramophone in June 2004. "Von Stade sounds almost too nice and friendly, like Cherubino embarking on a prank." David Shengold wrote about the album in Opera News in December 2016. "The capable all-Ravel recording ..., generically led by Ozawa, offers a superb Kaddisch." Accolade The album was nominated for a Grammy award for the best classical solo vocal performance of 1981. CD track listing See Also
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