This release is part of a series by conductor and the , but it is the soloists who shine here. Tenor , who is really hitting his stride, has a voice pleasantly suited to French music, rounded and subtle, but there is more; suggested that several singers perform the orchestral song cycle , but takes all the songs himself. Moreover, he does them in the original keys, which is rarer still. This calls for a singer with exceptional control of dynamic extremes in different parts of his range, and is exceptionally flexible in this regard. There is a confidence and nonchalance to this performance that grows on the listener as the performance proceeds, even as the sound engineering puts too far front and center to the detriment of the orchestra's contributions. This isn't so pronounced in the anti-concerto , and here again, there is a standout soloist; offers a rich sound and a real narrative quality that seems to evoke the score's source in 's long poem. This exceptionally satisfying album hit best-seller charts in late 2022. ~ James Manheim