Measha of a muchness

In Measha Brueggergosman‘s newest DG release, “Night Songs…” Oh… sorry! That was Renée Fleming‘s beautiful 2001 Decca release of similar (occasionally overlapping) material. Let me try that again.

“In the Still of Night…” Oh… sorry! That was Anna Netrebko‘s voluptuous CD of Russian songs released earlier this year.

Okay, third time’s the charm, in Measha Brueggergosman’s other-sopranos-have-been-there-and-done-that-better CD, Nights and Dreams, there isn’t a single track that isn’t marred by a fluttery, unsupported vibrato, suspect pitch, awkward (sometimes downright ugly) attacks at the top of the staff, and the lack of a true pianissimo.

Singing most of the time in that same “tremulous mezzo-piano” I remarked on in her recent recording of Wagner’s “Wesendonk Lieder,” any musical or textual insight Ms. Brueggergosman might have is compromised by her completely mediocre vocalism. Frankly, I’ve heard better singing at any number of college voice recitals.

There is one novelty in the program; an alternate version of Liszt’s “Oh! Quand je dors.” The song itself is not nearly as good as the version we all know and love and she doesn’t sing it very well.

Throughout, pianist Justus Zeyen‘s cool virtuosity is a welcome distraction.