Eric Cutler

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Here is a fine recital debut by Iowa-born tenor Eric Cutler. Rather than recording another bunch of Italian and French opera arias, he has opted to give us groups of songs by Schumann, Liszt, Hahn and Barber. He's the real thing--a lyric tenor with impeccable diction in four languages, an ability to tell a story in song, and a gleaming top. In Schumann's Liederkreis the singer must express many moods, and even with a light voice, Cutler can convey, say, the horror in "Waldegesprach." The Liszt Petrarch Sonnets are perfect Italian arias and take the voice up to a high D flat which Cutler manages with ease and grace; his legato is pure and clean as well. Hahn was a fine melodist, and he can also be dark and serious, as Cutler demonstrates in "A Chloris;" in "Paysage," he is warm and sensitive. The four Barber songs are varied in mood and tone and Cutler makes each of them special. An auspicious debut album, even for those who normally shy away from song recitals. Bradley Moore is the excellent accompaniest. EMI has annoyingly omitted texts and translations, but perhaps that's how they have managed to keep the price so invitingly low.--Robert Levine

Tracks:

In Der Fremde ('Aus Der Heimat Hinter Den Blitzen Rot')
Intermezzo
Waldesgesprach
Die Stille
Mondnacht
Schone Fremde
Auf Einer Burg
In Der Fremde ('Ich Hor Die Bachlein Rauschen')
Wehmut
Zwielicht
Im Walde
Fruhlingsnacht
Pace Non Trovo
Benedetto Sia 'L Giorno
I' Vidi In Terra Angelici Costumi
L' Heure Exquise (Verlaine)
Paysage (Theuriet)
Le Rossignol Des Lilas (Dauphin)
A Chloris (De Viau)
A Last Song (Graves)
My Lizard (Wish For A Young Love)
In The Wilderness (Graves)
Solitary Hotel (Joyce)
Despite And Still (Graves)

Amazon.com

Here is a fine recital debut by Iowa-born tenor Eric Cutler. Rather than recording another bunch of Italian and French opera arias, he has opted to give us groups of songs by Schumann, Liszt, Hahn and Barber. He's the real thing--a lyric tenor with impeccable diction in four languages, an ability to tell a story in song, and a gleaming top. In Schumann's Liederkreis the singer must express many moods, and even with a light voice, Cutler can convey, say, the horror in "Waldegesprach." The Liszt Petrarch Sonnets are perfect Italian arias and take the voice up to a high D flat which Cutler manages with ease and grace; his legato is pure and clean as well. Hahn was a fine melodist, and he can also be dark and serious, as Cutler demonstrates in "A Chloris;" in "Paysage," he is warm and sensitive. The four Barber songs are varied in mood and tone and Cutler makes each of them special. An auspicious debut album, even for those who normally shy away from song recitals. Bradley Moore is the excellent accompaniest. EMI has annoyingly omitted texts and translations, but perhaps that's how they have managed to keep the price so invitingly low.--Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

A fine new tenor goes from the farm belt to the world stage!.......2006-12-19

I've had this CD for a while, and have enjoyed it greatly. On a whim, I decided to look it up on Amazon to see what others thought of it. I was amazed to find a couple of very negative reviews, so I decided to give it another, critical, hearing. The results follow:

Beyond any doubt, Mr. Cutler has an excellent instrument in his voice! He has just about all one could ask for there: beauty of tone, wide range, flexibility, and every level from a whisper to a ringing fortissimo. Moreover, he has great control and artistry in using it to the service of this demanding repertoire. To be sure, Cutler is a relative newcomer, and may have a few things yet to learn. But what's remarkable is that he's a great singer already; it's almost like finding a Stradivarius in the corn silo!

As for the complaints I've read, I am little impressed with them. (Complaints about language and diction are more persuasive when couched in good language themselves, e.g., not misusing "effect" for "affect" nor "compliment" for "complement.") Sure, everyone's entitled to his own likes and dislikes, but I think the vast majority of serious music listeners will welcome Mr. Cutler and his songs with a broad smile and a hearty embrace. And, considering his robust good looks, I imagine the women with whom he works on the concert or operatic stage will not find him at all hard to take.

So much for the general; here are a few random specifics:

I'm much impressed with his lowest register. Many tenors with such a fine high range get a bit weak and less controlled on the lowest notes. Not so Mr. Cutler. His lows are strong, clear, and beautiful, just as his highs are. The evenness of his tone quality over his entire and considerable range is truly outstanding!

Regarding diction, he gives one very little to find fault with. His German is excellent, as is his Italian; his French is pretty much on a par, as well. He obviously takes pains to make his lyrics clear, but I would not say that he's fussy. His enunciation is artistic and communicative.

Regarding interpretation, I find him performing at the same high level. There is plenty of nuance and emotional content, and because of his ability to move gracefully from a pianissimo to a rousing fortissimo he can be more expressive, perhaps, than singers less gifted in dynamic range.

As to the songs here, his delivery of the Schumann is great, and the Hahn also very fine. I'm less impressed with Liszt as a songwriter, but Cutler makes the Petrarch sonnets sound very well. I was not so familiar with the Barber songs, but after hearing them a few times I became a believer, both in their artistic quality and in Cutler's insightful performances of them.

In sum, Mr. Cutler gives every indication of a great singing career just getting started, and we may all look forward to what vocal riches lie in store. It is rare for a first CD to be so excellent and so satisfying; it looks like a star has been born!

In Bradley Moore we have a superb accompanist; it must have been inspiring for Cutler to have such a talent at his service. The beauty of Moore's playing is rare and precious!

The engineering of this CD seems excellent. The liner notes are good, and include welcome comments from Cutler himself. The absence of song texts and translations is not too serious, given that EMI provides all of them, except for those of the Barber songs, on its Internet website. (If you access the website, be warned that the order and numbering of the individual Hahn song texts there do not agree with those on the CD itself.)

I am pleased to find my initial assessment of Eric Cutler reinforced subsequently by his growing acclaim and the strong demand for his singing during the 3 years since this CD was released. (I only hope he doesn't take on too much and risk artistic burnout.)

If you like lieder recitals, you will enjoy this CD and will likely look forward to more from Mr. Cutler as eagerly as I do!

Outstanding new lyric tenor!.......2006-10-18

This CD represents lyric tenor work at the highest level - sensitive, highly musical, passionate (perfectly so, within his voice type!), and clearly disciplined in his training and song preparation. No duplication of oversung Italian arias - but recording ART SONGS - this shows a great deal of artistic courage, in America where there has historically been precious little market for lieder (but this is changing, steadily). Thank God for young men like this being produced in the U.S. today - these kinds of tenors used to always come from European training environments. Eric Cutler is unashamedly lyric - and if every emerging tenor must be negatively critiqued against Corelli/Pavarotti genetics, what a dull and repetitive musical world this would be. Bravo, Eric! Keep up your superb lyric tenor work!

Exquisite: a singer who doesn't PUSH.......2005-06-29

My partner picked this album up on a whim because it's so hard to find collections of songs, rather than arias. It was an exquisite surprise, especially to a tenor who longs to hear singers who don't blast their audiences away. Mr. Cutler takes the top place of my favorite tenors now right beside Nicolai Gedda: The tone is relaxed, beautifully balanced, and his diction is impeccable. The musicianship was just a tiny bit bland, but then it's hard to judge from a recording. I'd recommend this album to anyone, and I hope one day to pass along the praise in person. Taking his cue, I'm now working up the Liederkreis, too, an enchanting cycle by Schuman. As my sisters-in-law say, "Why sing Schubert? Sing SCHUMANN!"

A Welcome New Tenor Voice.......2004-04-27

American tenor Eric Cutler (with the superb collaboration of pianist Bradley Moore) makes his recording debut with, thankfully, not a hint of "Nessun dorma" or "Una furtiva lagrima", both of which beautiful arias seem to have become the CD calling card for first recitals by other tenors today. Instead of depending on familiar arias, or even songs, that are audience pleasers without much effort on the part of the singer, Cutler has selected a true lieder recital of the 'Liederkreis' of Robert Schumann, excerpts from Franz Liszt's 'Petrarch Sonnets', and selected rarities of haunting beauty by Reynaldo Hahn and Samuel Barber. His programming is in line with other very intelligent vocal artists such as Susan Graham, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Dawn Upshaw, Thomas Hampson, Anne Sofie Von Otter, Sanford Sylvan, etc and that is rare company indeed. Cutler possesses a rich voice, able to ring and burst out appropriately, but he also is able to produce liquid, soft sounds which includes the artistic use of his head tones. If at times his vibrato spreads when the voice is pushed, that is a trait that can be easily watched and avoided. His ability to move thru two centuries of song writing and maintain his ability to communicate equally well suggests that this is a talent to watch. Having heard him once in the Disney Concert Hall singing Berlioz' "Lelio" convincingly, being one of the more memorable aspects of that evening with the LA Phil, he seems also to have stage presence. But with the type of personal communication he elicits from Schumann's "Mondnacht", all four of the Hahn songs, and Barber's "A Last Song" and "Solitary Hotel", it would seem his significant contribution will be the recital platform...and what a joy to find another musician in the service of composers instead of the media. Kudos to EMI for this installment in their laudable "Debut Series". Recommended to all lovers of song and at this price one can afford to take a chance on an unknown - and find the joys of discovery of young, maturing talent like Eric Cutler!

What grows in Iowa..........2004-04-04

Bradley Moore is one top knotch accompanist and Mr. Cutler was fortunate to have him. his is a disappointing debut album, it fell short of expectation after hearing the Met broadcast of La Juive in December. His voice is so incredibly effected that there is no connection between the singer and the text. And thus, it immediately resonates as FALSE to the listener. One wants to be swept away in music, not question if Mr Cutler too much of a juvenile to understand the emotions he is singing about.

To his credit, Mr. Cutler has solid technique. Unfortunately, technique does not make an artist. The fundamental element that is deficient here in both the cd and in the artist is HEART. If Mr. Cutler would only bother connecting with others, unveiling their humanity and revealing his own, then he would surely avoid the self conscious/self indulgent errors of relying solely on technique. Heart and humanity make an artist, a lesson Mr. Cutler is in dire need of learning.

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