Oh Fair to see: Songs by English Composers

A CD with repertoire part of which is relatively unknown, even to the initiated, performed by a singer who is also not among the most famous in spite of his most impressive credentials. The core of this recording are the two song books by Gerald Finzi, a composer who is at the moment being rediscovered and recognised as one or the great composers or songs from the 20th century. Then there is Vaughan Williams; how many people know that his most famous song Silent Noon comes from his cycle The House of Light? Well, it is and the whole cycle is recorded here. Benjamin Britten is of course well-known but his early song cycle On this Island is not among his best-known works where it belongs. American tenor Donald Kaasch is in our opinion the ideal interpreter of these songs: a strong masculine sounding singer with deep insight into these works. He makes them sound as fresh and innovating as they were on the day they were first performed. Full texts and an article on the composers and the songs in the booklet.