Murray Schafer has a rare ear for the human voice, especially the female voice. When this is combined with his talent for orchestral colour, the results are quite spectacular. This disc contains three works for female voice and orchestra. The pieces are presented in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent, Gitanjali, followed by The Garden of the Heart and Adieu Robert Schumann. Gitanjali and The Garden of the Heart have in common exotic texts. Gitanjali takes us to India of the great poet Rabindranath Tagore, and The Garden of the Heart draws on material from everyone’s favourite exotic romantic collection, The Thousand and One Nights.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY:

The soloists on the album are three outstanding Canadians, soprano Donna Brown (Gitanjali), and mezzo sopranos Judith Forst (Adieu Robert Schumann) and Annamaria Popescu (The Garden of the Heart). It’s difficult to imagine more perfectly chosen voices. Mario Bernardi and the National Arts Centre Orchestra are superb, capturing both the grand sweep and the fine detail of Schafer’s music.

– Robert Everett-Green, The Globe and Mail, October 8, 1997.

1-6. Gitanjali

7. The Garden of the Heart

8. Adieu Robert Schumann