Songs

"It's good to hear four quite different tenors responding to the song cycles originally written for Peter Pears, and recreating each one in a totally distinctive way".

"This first volume of Britten's complete original songs for voice and piano introduces a series devised, cast and beautifully accompanied by Malcolm Martineau. It's likely to become a valuable documentary survey; and it should also provide calling cards for the cast of young singers in these performances".

"Tenoren Ian Bostridge er en god Britten-sanger. Hans stemme er ikke stor og ikke udpræget smuk, men den er meget fokuseret og med præcis intonation. Han synger simpelt hen renere end de fleste. Dertil kommer, at han er god til at formidle teksten ... I mine ører et af de mest spændende bud på en moderne fortolkning af sangene".

"[Bostridge] has surely done nothing finer than this immaculately recorded new release. He is superbly partnered by Antonio Pappano, whose balancing of textures and beauty of touch sometimes surpass - dare it be said? - Britten's own recordings ... An essential addition to the Britten discography".

"Bostridge trifft den nerv dieser Lieder: Mal klingt die Stimme herb oder, gerade im Piano, nuancenreich, mal androgyn, mal aufbrausend".