Arthur Sullivan: Songs for Tenor

Experience the vocal artistry of tenor David Webb in this debut recording featuring songs, arias, and duets by Arthur Sullivan. This collection showcases Sullivan not only as a master of Savoy theatre polish but also as a composer of remarkable clarity and restraint. The artists, drawing on extensive experience with this repertoire, deliver an instinctive and assured performance.

Key Features:

• Features tenor David Webb, Jennifer France, and Charles Rice.
• Includes performances by the Academy of Ancient Music, conducted by John Andrews.
• This is the first recording of Gilbert and Sullivan on period instruments, offering a sound closer to the original Victorian performances.
• Explores Sullivan's craft across three decades, from early sacred works to late opera.
• Highlights Sullivan's lyricism and wit, revealing his compositional skill afresh.

Artistic Significance:

This recording offers a rediscovery of Arthur Sullivan's work, presenting a sound that captures the scale, colour, and immediacy experienced by his original audiences. The use of period instruments by the Academy of Ancient Music provides a unique sonic perspective, allowing the clarity of Sullivan's compositions and the directness of the text to shine through. The performances emphasize the elegance and restraint characteristic of Sullivan's output, making his craft newly apparent.

Summary:

This CD presents a significant interpretation of Arthur Sullivan's vocal works, performed with exceptional skill and historical insight. It is an essential addition for lovers of opera and classical vocal music.