Review: "Reason in Madness" - Carolyn Sampson (BIS, 2019)

This uniquely programmed album is constructed around a theme of madness, and especially woman characters who exemplified it in history, myths or literature. Soprano Carolyn Sampson and pianist Joseph Middleton carefully picked over 23 songs in German and French, incorporating a fascinating progression of moods and styles.

Reason in Madness

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There are 2 full song cycles in this album. Strauss’ rarely heard “Drei Lieder der Ophelia”, Op. 67 is a convincing representation of Ophelia’s lonely anxiety, while Debussy’s “Chansons de Bilitis”, L 97, shows an impressionist’s view of mythology, night visions and death. The two cycles give Sampson an ample opportunity to show off her vocal diversity, while excerpts from Wolf’s “Goethe-Lieder” her penetrating tenderness, like in the lovely “Heiß mich nicht reden” (track 13).

There are some delightful discoveries as well, as with Saint-Saëns’ “La mort d’Ophélie”, or Brahms’ “5 Ophelia-Lieder”, WoO 22, both projected with an uncanny affinity to the sang text, German or French. Indeed, throughout this album, Sampson and Middleton are sensitive to each song’s textual meaning, while managing to sustain interest with the contrasting characteristics of each. Quiet, intimate songs as Wolf’s “So lasst mich scheinen, bis ich werde” (track 15) is followed by Schubert’s more dramatic “Gretchen am Spinnrade”, D 118.

Carolyn Sampson (Photo: Marco Borggreve)

Putting aside the many individual highlights, this is a highly convincing attempt at a “concept album”, so many times superficially presented as a marketing ploy rather than a true artistic triumph as we have here. The meticulously edited booklet, as well as the superb, intimate recording quality, both on CD and the compatible SACD, allow for 75 minutes of an enjoyable journey through an unsettling theme, along with the music and texts.