Ernesto Lecuona: Songs - Carole Farley (2004)

Few singers — few musicians in any branch of the art, for that matter — can have ranged with comparable expertise over so wide a range of repertoire as the American soprano Carole Farley. From Monteverdi and Mozart to Shostakovich and Berg (she took the title role in the first British production of Lulu), from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony by way of Offenbach and Grieg and Lehár’s Merry Widow to Poulenc and Weill and the music of her husband, composer-conductor José Serebrier, taking in Verdi, Puccini, Massenet, Strauss, Ives, and Aubert Lemeland along the way, and recently adding an exceptional disc of Rorem songs, she has performed opera, oratorio, and song with commanding vocal fluency, dramatic flair, and an astonishing linguistic versatility.

Composer: Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: Carole Farley, John Constable

Reviews: Now Farley has turned her attention to the songs of the Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona (1895–1963), with results that I find totally compelling. Rarely can her warm yet brilliant voice have been in better estate. With ravishing floated high notes and plangent Hispanic tones lower down in the range, she has crafted in “On a Night like This” a most romantic and seductive album, atmospherically recorded by producer Rita Hermeyer. So far as versatility is concerned, the British pianist John Constable is himself no slouch. Associated in my mind with more cerebral activities (performing Górecki and Knussen in his capacity as principal keyboard player for the London Sinfonietta, or providing stylish concerto solos and continuo contributions in Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi as a regular collaborator with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields), he turns himself here into a cogent exponent of Lecuona’s trademark sensual languor in slow tempos and rhythmic verve in faster ones.

To such ends, the selection and ordering of numbers out of the composer’s 400 songs has been artfully done. Instead of a facile alternation of moods, Farley and Constable have chosen to present the songs in little groups of two or three at a time that harmonize emotionally with each other. Thus, for instance, the candid diatonic beauty of the refrain in Allá en la sierra is so placed as both to illuminate and to contrast with the insinuating chromaticism of the next song, Tu no tienes corazón. (That last word, by the way, is as pervasive in Lecuona’s world as its German equivalent, “Herz,” is in Schubert’s.) Again, the quicksilver syncopations of Que risa me da lead tellingly into La comparsa, an evocative mood-piece in which eruptive rhythms darkly subvert the surface glitter of the carnival procession. Incidentally, two songs, ¡Mira! and Devuélveme el corazón, are rather puzzlingly listed with texts by José Serebrier. I found out on inquiry that they have survived only with English words, so Serebrier has made a skillful job of creating new Spanish versions for them; it would have been helpful if BIS had explained this somewhere in the otherwise informative booklet.

As a representative of his country’s musical culture, Lecuona may not offer the scope and depth that distinguish, say, Ginastera among the composers of Argentina. But this collection makes a strong case for him as a master, and a richly varied master at that, of the romantic song, and I cannot imagine how it could have been better done.

Tracklisting:

1. Siempre en mi corazón by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: Carole Farley (Soprano), John Constable (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1943; Cuba
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 3 Minutes 35 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

2. Como presiento by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 17 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

3. Allá en la sierra by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 28 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

4. Tu no tienes corazón by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: Carole Farley (Soprano), John Constable (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 48 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

5. Mi corazón se fue by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1946; Cuba
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 3 Minutes 20 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

6. Dame de tus Rosas by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1939; Spain
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 3 Minutes 44 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

7. No es por ti by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: Cuba
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 31 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

8. Mira, dime si puedes verme by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 3 Minutes 2 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

9. Dame el amor by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 53 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

10. Que risa me da by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 1 Minutes 16 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

11. La comparsa "Se escucha el rumor" by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 33 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

12. Al fin te ví by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1955; Cuba
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 3 Minutes 38 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

13. Se abrieron las flores by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 3 Minutes 28 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

14. Conga Cuba by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 1 Minutes 30 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

15. Amor tardio by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 1 Minutes 55 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

16. Carnival in Costa Rica: En una noche así by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1947; Cuba
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 3 Minutes 19 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

17. Devuélveme el corazón by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1942; Cuba
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 28 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

18. Primavera de ilusión by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 46 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

19. Carnival in Costa Rica: Un amor vendrá by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1947; Cuba
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 3 Minutes 3 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

20. Me has dejado by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 38 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

21. No me engañarás by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: John Constable (Piano), Carole Farley (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 47 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

22. Rumba mejoral by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: Carole Farley (Soprano), John Constable (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 1 Minutes 1 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

23. No me mires ni me hables by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: Carole Farley (Soprano), John Constable (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 52 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

24. Mi amor fué una flor by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: Carole Farley (Soprano), John Constable (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 2 Minutes 28 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)

25. Canción del amor triste by Ernesto Lecuona
Performer: Carole Farley (Soprano), John Constable (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Venue: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden
Length: 3 Minutes 55 Secs.
Language: Spanish
Notes: Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, Sweden (08/19/2002 - 08/22/2002)




Thanks to the original releaser