Song Of America

Thomas Hampson is a persuasive advocate for these treasures from the Library of Congress' vast collections, so this CD's generous sampling leaves you wanting more. It covers the American songbook in all its variety, from traditional "folk" items like Shenandoah to Stephen Foster to the immigrants Erich Korngold and Kurt Weill to Leonard Bernstein and contemporary composers. Hampson adjusts his flexible, light baritone to fit each song. The voice is full and resonant on Danny Deever, simple and direct in 19th-century traditional songs and ballads, and nuanced in songs like Ned Rorem's "As Adam Early in the Morning," one of several on the disc with texts by Walt Whitman. A standout is the last song in this recital, one that leaves you with thoughts about music, history, and our nation's continuing issues, "Ethiopia Saluting the Colors," by Henry Burleigh. Most of the selections are performed with piano accompaniment, but several are with a small ensemble of traditional instruments. A word of caution: everything was recorded in the 1990s and presumably was available piecemeal on previous releases, although few are likely to have more than a handful of these 20 gems. --Dan Davis