This release by countertenor
Randall Scotting
has a strong program; perhaps no one else has offered a works-on-a-theme set of this kind, and the pieces gain from being grouped together with others of their ilk. The songs are not just of the
Dowland
melancholy type but include a variety of moods from perhaps misplaced optimism and even humor to the grimmest of the grim,
Thomas Ravenscroft
's version of the traditional ballad
The Three Ravens
. There are French and Italian pieces as well as English ones, and the American faux-Scots
Black is the color of my true love's hair
seems to fit right in. In fact, the music emerges in
Scotting
's hands as a kind of subgenre, with the various types of piece in dialogue.
has been better known for Baroque opera up to now, and he has a powerful voice that at times somewhat overpowers the material, but he has a feeling for these songs, and several other factors work in the album's favor, one being the presence of veteran lutenist
Stephen Stubbs
, who gets a few elegant solo turns. Another is the sheer beauty of
's voice, which comes through no matter what the material. The graphics have a sense of fun (and one can say this regardless of the subject matter). Listeners are likely to enjoy this release, which is billed as an anti-Valentine's item. Gift it to someone you don't love! ~ James Manheim