Hommage à Jane Bathori: The Inspiring Muse

Dawn Upshaw's recital of 20th century French songs is a bouquet to their great exponent, and often inspirer, Jane Bathori. Recorded live before an appreciative Paris audience, Upshaw's in fine voice, her lyric soprano caressing each song, leaving no doubt that she loves this repertory. She adopts slow tempos and characterizes broadly, assuming a girlish voice for some songs, a device that some listeners will adore (and others find repellent). The songs themselves are wonders, from favorites like the Ravel and Satie selections to rarely heard gems. The encore is a highlight: Dutilleux's 1993 setting of "San Francisco Night," receiving its premiere recording. Upshaw's legion of fans will need no urging to grab this disc, and it's a good choice for those seeking a representative group of outstanding modern French songs. Devotees of French mélodie, though, will prefer Marston's reissues of idiomatic historic recordings by an older generation of singers, such as Jane Bathori herself and Clare Croiza. --Dan Davis