CD «RUSSIAN SONGS. MARGARITA GRITSKOVA AND MARIA PRINZ»
«Die Presse» 17 April 2019The various, wonderful rich colors of melancholy
Margarita Gritskova and Maria Prinz break a lance for the art of songs of Russian master composers
For sure, the very last work on this CD belongs to the rejoicing to high heaven late romantic songs: the voice rises exulting to the high B flat to praise the arrival of spring. Margarita Gritskova doesn’t have to swing out too often in high soprano regions and uses the opportunities to savor the dark glowing qualities of her mezzo. The young Russian singer, an acclaimed member of the ensemble of Vienna State Opera, where she will sing soon Rosina in “ Barbiere di Sivilla” alongside Juan Diego Florez, recorded, together with Maria Prinz songs, mostly not about the approaching spring.
Tchaikivsky, Rachmaninov (he composed mentioned “Wells of spring”) and Rimsky Korsakov set in music rather all nuances of melancholy and sadness of the Russian soul.
The more than one hour lasting exploration of this landscape of the Russian soul is never monotonous, on the contrary- it fascinates with all the blaze of colors of a rich, fresh voice.
It is also fascinating to study the differences of approach of the three composers. Their “handwritings” are clearly detectable.
Rimski Korsakov for example uses a less artificial and refined, more folk song inspired musical language, which Margarita Gritskova and her sensitive pianist Maria Prinz meet with the appropriate intimacy of expression.
The fact that Maria Prinz is not afraid of the sound cascades of the master pianist Rachmaninov, upgrades this new release even more.
Wilhelm Sincovicz