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Editorial Reviews

A marvelously balanced, wonderfully affecting and even at times deeply moving disc, this 1994 recording of nostalgic songs and soulful orchestral works by 20th century American masters Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber performed by soprano Barbara Hendricks with Michael Tilson Thomas leading the London Symphony Orchestra makes a wonderful addition to any collection of American music. Tilson Thomas shows himself an accomplished conductor in Copland's "Quiet City" and Barber's "Adagio for Strings" and a sensitive accompanist in Copland and Barber's songs, and the LSO plays with their customary easy virtuosity. But the real star of this disc is Barbara Hendricks. Her performance of Copland's setting of eight poems by Emily Dickinson is as ardent, as quirky and as convincing as the poetry, her performance of Barber's setting of James Agee's "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" is as full of passionate yearning and as wholly compelling as the music, and her performances of Barber's settings of Agree' "Sure on this shining night" and Prokosch's "Nocturne" are apt encores.

EMI's early Nineties digital sound is warmer and fuller than their late Eighties digital sound but not as warm and full as their late Seventies stereo sound nor as warm and fill as their late Nineties digital sound. James Leonard, All Music Guide

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