In a wide-ranging, far-reaching and heavily romantic program, mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili and pianist Vincenzo Scalera present a program of varied songs, titled “Élégie”.
Rachvelishvili is very much in the driving seat, Scalera is always following in her shadow. In Tchaikovsky’s ‘Primerenye’, Rachvelishvili is very expressive, but there is a slight hesitancy from the pianist. This lack of unity is evident throughout and at times tips over into uncertainty, resulting in a program which lacks polish. The strongest performances are in the three songs by Francesco Paolo Totsi. Rachvelishvili relishes the operatic nature of these songs, highly expressive and more certain in her partnership with with Scalera, especially in “Tristezza” (track 12).
Rachvelishvili has a hugely impressive instrument in her voice, which is equally as large as the heart she proudly wears on her sleeve. The uniformity in color is impressive across her entire range and intonation is formidably strong. Every song is delivered with a large dose of passion (as in Otar Taktakishvili’s “Mzeo Tibatvis”), but despite the sincerity of the sentiment, this is not always appropriate for all the items in the program.
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Scalera is an accomplished pianist, but does struggle to produce the necessary sound to compete with Rachvelishvili’s voice, and the chemistry between them is not a natural one. All too often the tone of the piano becomes hard and jarring, setting up an uncomfortable and unnecessary power struggle which detracts from the music. In the instances where the pianist doesn’t try so hard, as in the Rachmaninov songs, there is beauty and more expressive sound.
Neither Rachvelishvili or Scalera fully capture the refinement and elegance in the Duparc songs. The album’s title song, ‘Élégie’, has a color which is too intense and heady from both singer and pianist. The delicacy of ‘Chanson Triste’ is lost in the blur of the accompaniment, the harp-like textures becoming too dense, while “La Vie Antérieure” lacks an impressionistic sophistication. The subtlety of the French vowels are quite indistinguishable, while consonants lack definition. Here I would turn to Véronique Gens to find a real expert in this repertoire, as she demonstrates on her album, “Néère”.
Usually performed by a soprano, Falla’s “Siete Canciones populares españolas” are the only complete work on the album. The darker hues of a mezzo in conjuring the gypsy and flamenco idiosyncrasies of the songs should theoretically come across stronger. Again Rachvelishvili’s diction is not as pristine as it needs to be in these songs and the emotions are slightly overly emphasized. However, there are occasional moments which are commendable. The way in which Rachvelishvili holds back in ‘Asturiana’, the third of Falla’s song, is particularly convincing, showing a different side to her voice. A lighter vibrato, or on occasion none at all, allows the more intimate nature of her beautiful voice to shine simply.
Rachvelishvili is not aided here by her accompanist; while the notes are there, the balance between the hands and the attention to detail are missing, glossing-over the folk and dance-like qualities. The purity of Victoria de los Ángeles’ voice is hard to replicate, and the sheer clarity she brings in this repertoire is so attractive. For a more modern take, Patricia Rozario with pianist Mark Troop are equally as convincing as Ángeles, but with just a little more grit between the teeth, bringing the true spirit of Iberia.
The booklet notes contain Rachvelishvili’s thoughts on the music, which gives some insight. The recording and engineering is good overall, but a little space would have been welcomed. Those who have followed Rachvelishvili’s career avidly will appreciate this release, but with its 110% emotional energy, it lacks the refinement and evocation that some others find in this music.
“Élégie“
Anita Rachvelishvili – Mezzo-Soprano
Vincenzo Scalera – Piano
Sony Classical, CD 19439737022
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