DEBUT ~ Michelle DeYoung - Duparc · Wagner · Liszt · R. Strauss Songs / Kevin Murphy

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This record introduces a young singer in a varied selection of French and German songs; surprisingly, of two by Liszt one is in French and one is in Italian. Michelle DeYoung is billed as a soprano, but sounds more like a mezzo-soprano: her voice is beautiful, dark, and warm, with a pure, resonant low range, and she has sung alto roles such as Wagner's Fricka. The program is not entirely felicitous: there are too many slow, lamenting songs, and, worse, not all present the singer to optimal advantage. She comes into her own in the Liszt and Strauss songs, for which she clearly has the greatest vocal and emotional affinity. Her expressiveness, which had been a bit overdone and calculated on the other songs, becomes spontaneous, deeply felt, and strongly projected. DeYoung's voice soars radiantly in the upper register; even her only vocal flaw, a wide vibrato, almost disappears, the tone becoming focused and intense. Kevin Murphy, a splendid pianist, supports her with empathetic sensitivity, although the recorded sound is too subdued and remote. The disc sorely lacks texts and translations, especially since many of the songs are comparatively unfamiliar; the booklet's invitation to find these on EMI's Web site is not much help to the listener. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

L'Invitation Au Voyage
Extase
La Manoir De Rosemonde
Chanson Triste
Elegie
Der Engel
Stehe Still!
Im Treibhaus
Schmerzen
Traume
Jeanne D'Arc Au Bucher
La Perla
Zueignung, Op.10 No.1
Befreit, Op.39 No.4

Amazon.com

This record introduces a young singer in a varied selection of French and German songs; surprisingly, of two by Liszt one is in French and one is in Italian. Michelle DeYoung is billed as a soprano, but sounds more like a mezzo-soprano: her voice is beautiful, dark, and warm, with a pure, resonant low range, and she has sung alto roles such as Wagner's Fricka. The program is not entirely felicitous: there are too many slow, lamenting songs, and, worse, not all present the singer to optimal advantage. She comes into her own in the Liszt and Strauss songs, for which she clearly has the greatest vocal and emotional affinity. Her expressiveness, which had been a bit overdone and calculated on the other songs, becomes spontaneous, deeply felt, and strongly projected. DeYoung's voice soars radiantly in the upper register; even her only vocal flaw, a wide vibrato, almost disappears, the tone becoming focused and intense. Kevin Murphy, a splendid pianist, supports her with empathetic sensitivity, although the recorded sound is too subdued and remote. The disc sorely lacks texts and translations, especially since many of the songs are comparatively unfamiliar; the booklet's invitation to find these on EMI's Web site is not much help to the listener. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Promising recital debut.......2003-07-17

Yes, De Young does have some wide vibrato which doesn't serve her brilliantly on the Du Parc songs, which I think require a creamier, more delicate voice. However, I think she does a very
good job on the other songs. I think the relatively rare piano
duet versions of Wagner's "Wesondonck Lieder" are quite effective, though I agree the Liszt and Strauss lieder are the most outstanding things here. Murphy does an excellent job
throughout. Promising debut--though her orchestral work still
more intriguing at this pointI think. Yes, a singer in the Ludwig/Janet Baker mold.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Water Skiing/Twangy Guitar, Silky Strings

Brahms: Chorlieder

Chickenhead Blues

Tommy Turrentine [Hybrid SACD]

Vol. 2-Unearthed Liverpool Cult [Import]

Break Out

Capitol Years [Box set] [Extra tracks] [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Berg: Concerto For Violin And Orchestra/Ponce: Concerto For Violin And Orchestra/Prokofiev: Violin Concerto

Collection: 1962-89

Ain't Misbehavin'

Billy Idol [Original recording remastered]

Big Hat, No Cattle

Big O [Import]

A Rock 'n Roll Christmas

Plays the Standards