Mozart and Haydn Recital Decca Most Wanted Recitals Vol. 48
British soprano Jennifer Vyvyan, best known for premiering several roles in the operas of Benjamin Britten, possessed a voice of great beauty, with crystalline coloratura to rival that of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, and lyric richness comparable to Lucia Popp. Tragically, Vyvyan, aged only 49, died in 1974 from complications of a bronchial illness, leaving behind a husband and young son, and a diary brimming with never-to-be fulfilled concert, opera and recital engagements. While Vyvyan experienced a great deal of success in what was a very short operatic career, one wonders what further heights she might have reached, or how she may posthumously have been remembered and regarded, had she been able to live until retirement age. Such speculation is fruitless, and instead of wondering what might have been, the re-release of Vyvyan’s recordings, such as this recital disc, might pique renewed interest and appreciation among opera fans.
Not merely an esoteric re-release for record collectors, this Decca album – containing Mozart and Haydn arias – showcases Vyvyan’s talent, serving as contemporary vindication of her now-overlooked success. In the absence of today’s finely-tuned recording technologies, the minor imperfections, such as microphone crackles or a slightly out-of-tune note, add character and life to the recording, rather than being a detraction, and give a real sense of Vyvyan’s live performance. Of particular note are Mozart’s concert aria ‘ Ah se in ciel, benigne stelle ’, and the Alleluia from Motet ‘ Exsultate, Jubilate ’, which both demonstrate Vyvyan’s expressivity and stellar coloratura, the latter as a particular example of Vyvyan’s sumptuous middle register and glittering top notes. The little-known collection of six duets by Johann Christian Bach is a gem, although Australian Elsie Morison’s voice, while lovely, doesn’t quite match the splendor or accuracy of Vyvyan’s. This is a fine recording of a forgotten twentieth-century British soprano, deserving of recognition and pride of place in any classical CD library.
