Debussy, Messiaen & Fauré Olivier Messiaen Poèmes pour Mi; An outstanding recording by two young American-based musicians, the Alabama-born opera singer's solo debut CD; the more experienced pianist an equal partner. It was Messiaen's great early cycle (1936) for his first wife 'Mi', to original, and somewhat mystical, texts by Messiaen himself, which attracted my attention. From previous experiences it was remembered as thrilling music, not as recondite as some from later, but a daunting Everest to essay, demanding alike for listeners as for its interpreters. Not so here. Susanna Phillips takes it comfortably in her stride, with unruffled beauty of tone, no problems with its extremes of tessitura, excellent French and - to boot - she gives us her own translation of these poems to help us follow them more fully. Myra Huang's collaboration is no less impressive and (over three days last year) they were recorded in perfect balance by Adam Abeshouse. Recommended enthusiastically. Peter Grahame Woolf |