J.Strauss: Waltzes arranged for Soprano
Mady Mesplé (soprano)
Franck Pourcel and his Orchestra (Erato)
(scroll down for English review)
約翰史特勞斯《春之聲》圓舞曲間中會以女高音版本演奏，這碟就索性把另外七首史特勞斯圓舞曲都照樣改編給女高音，正確來說是花腔女高音。大約50年前的錄音，演唱者是去年離世的法國花腔女高音Mady Mesplé。
加上的歌詞是法文，但我懷疑法國人都聽不出是唱甚麼，我們就當是練聲曲、呵呵呵呵的聽就好了。此外，這些編曲也把原曲縮短了一半，去到四、五分鐘一首的長度，聽來沒那麼重覆。八首都是知名作品，以改編來說，我覺得軌七《維也納森林的故事》有最多花腔炫技的段落。
Johann Strauss’ Voices of Spring is sometimes performed with an extra soprano part. So this album probably took that as a cue and arranged seven other Strauss waltzes for coloratura soprano. This recording was about 50 years old and featured the great French coloratura Mady Mesplé who passed away last year.
The added text was in French but I doubt the French would understand what Mesplé was singing. So I have no qualms in listening to these as vocalises. And the arrangements reduced the originals to half of their lengths, and they sounded less repetitive. All eight tracks were beloved Strauss but in terms of arrangement, my favourite is Tales from the Vienna Woods (track 7) for it has the most extended coloratura passages.