Gérard Souzay / Dalton Baldwin CLAUDE DEBUSSY Lieder

From almost any point of view, the DGG recording by Gérard Souzay of three major Debussy song cycles is an absolute must for those who admire the French art song sung with absolute perfection of style. For Souzay‘s mastery of this material is, in the final analysis, quite beyond logical analysis. For example: flawless diction, each syllable articulated with the greatest clarity, and perfect vocal legato are, by their nature, rather at odds with each other. Yet Souzay, by methods quite his own, manages to excel in both. His control over musical phrasing, moreover, in no way unbalances his extraordinary ability to produce the maximum dramatic effect with the simplest of vocal means. The meaning of each poem is projected with astonishing incisiveness.

Finally, what is most important, the songs really, truly sing. The Impressionist art song, in the wrong hands, can too often come over like a maze of declamation supported by aromatic sound – like a parody of itself. Souzay’s readings make the material sound as direct, shapely, and lyrical as any song by Schubert. The issue is altogether superb, and Deutsche Grammophon has provided a sound that suits the music and the singer perfectly. Need more be said? (HiFi Stereo Review, 1962)