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Fanfare

This is a wonderful collection of Spanish language songs for voice and piano. Lyric soprano Esther Rayo is joined by renowned pianist and conductor Peter Grünberg. They have been performing this repertoire since they first collaborated in 2017. The recital of this music was first given in a series of concerts given by the San Francisco based teaching and performance organization Lieder Alive! and this is their debut album. The songs are by early 20th century composers: Fernando Obradors, Manuel de Falla, Enrique Granados, Alberto Ginastera, Xavier Montsalvatge, Consuelo Velázquez and Manuel Ponce.

Esther Rayo was born in California where Spanish music and language have always been close her heart. In my own library there are very few collections of Spanish songs and I was pleased to read that Rayo was guided by some legendary recordings by Montserrat Caballé and Victoria de los Angeles that I do know and have actually seen them perform in recital, long ago. This is a wide-ranging program that includes folk tunes and original melodies. Rayo’s operatic roles have included Tosca, Mimi and Suor Angelica and she brings her abilities with Puccini’s long soprano lines to this Spanish music. It is some of the most beautiful singing I have heard recently.

This release is a must for any art song aficionado. There is plenty of melodic and harmonic charm to go along with the rhythms we all expect from Spanish music. It is well-ordered and flows quite well. Pianists will especially enjoy the virtuosic accompaniments and even get to hear Grünberg in one substantial solo number – Quejas, o la maja y el ruiseñorfrom Granados’s Goyescas. Grünberg has performed privately for Ginastera and plays the very difficult piano parts in Canciones Populares Argentinas with flair, imagination and in perfect ensemble with Rayo.

Divine Art’s recorded piano sound here is full-bodied and excellently produced and engineered by Matt Carr. Rayo’s voice carries through the layers of piano notes just right. Along with full texts and English translations, Grünberg contributes excellent program notes which are indispensable in repertoire that is not widely known. Recorded in 2024 in California, this is truly a top recommendation for those who want to explore some fantastic Spanish songs with performances to match.