‘CLAIRIÈRES’ RECEIVES RAVE REVIEWS
“Tenor Nicholas Phan and pianist Myra Huang do perfect justice to vocal works by the Boulanger sisters, illustrating their contrasting stylistic leanings…What the [sisters] share, though, is meticulous concern for every musical and verbal detail, and Phan’s wonderfully poised and precise singing matches it perfectly. As his recording of La Bonne Chanson has already shown, he is an outstanding interpreter of French song, and Huang is an equally attentive partner. It’s hard to imagine these Boulanger songs could have more convincing advocacy.“
“Phan’s more mainstream tenor voice (he occasionally resembles Peter Pears) uses the upper range to reveal great dramatic tension in the music, with an intensity that can be downright operatic. Pianist Myra Huang matches him all the way, with especially fine effect in ‘Parfois, je suis triste’ where an out-of-left-field keyboard flourish conveys the protagonist’s quickly shifting memories.
Phan has deeply internalised this music – with highly detailed, personal, specific and often quite volatile responses to Lili Boulanger’s particular fusion of music and poetry in Clairières dans le ciel – though not through the lens of Debussy. Boulanger taken on her own terms…Phan delivers a more emotionally comprehensive (and deeply welcome) vision of this worthy music.”
“★★★★…Phan possesses notable changes of color, with some magical high singing…with Huang’s warm pianism, there is much to cherish, especially in this searching performance of Clairiéres. Phan’s disc is an ideal introduction to this repertoire”
“Excellent liner note by Phan himself which guides us through this music really helpfully…a beautiful performance…it suits Nicholas Phan’s voice very well…he sounds, particularly in the soft singing, very, very fine throughout, as does his pianist, Myra Huang. ”
“Here, Phan beautifully caresses the surface of Francis Jammes’ verses, supported by smooth, liquid pianism that never overpowers…in the Fauré-like Cantique by Nadia Boulanger, Phan finds the halo of light and patina-like contours of an old stained-glass window…”
- Diapason
“★★★★….[Phan’s] voice is a bit larger, with his high register, often deployed in a perfectly managed ‘voix mixte’, and the diction is very correct with only a slight accent…the accompaniment is of great quality.”
- Classica
“From a musical point of view, the album is notable for the high quality of the performance and for an interpretative attention to detail shown both by Nicholas Phan and Myra Huang, and a deep internalization of the compositions. This interpretation is made possible by an excellent technique that allows Nicholas Phan to dole out his beautiful homogeneous voice with a clear timbre and well projected high notes, through splendid phrasing, fortes that are always expressive and without excess, and very beautiful soft singing. For her part Myra Huang, on the piano, creates a fascinating tapestry of sound that ends up integrating with the voice. It is ultimately a truly refined album completed by an interesting booklet, in which, in addition to the lyrics, it is possible to read a liner note by the tenor, who also proves to be a fine musicologist.”
- GB Opera
