Reviews
GMCD 7308
God Be In My Head
Church Music Quarterly June
Freddy de Rivaz/Nicholas Robinson (piano & chamber organ)/James Davy
(organ)/Simon Johnson (piano & organ)
Freddy de Rivaz, who is now fifteen, was a treble at St Albans Abbey from 1999
until 2006 (the year this CD was recorded). Freddy's treble voice
was very beautiful: clear, pure and expressive, without sounding in any
way prissy or affected. On this disc he sings an attractive programme of music
by Walford Davies (God be in my head), Richard Rodney Bennet, Lallouette,
Richard Shepherd, Pelham Humphrey (A hymn to God the Father), Warlock
(Balulalow), Caldara, Jeremiah Clarke, Bach/Gounod (Ave Maria), Peter
Hurford (Litany to the Holy Spirit), Britten, Fauré (Pie Jesu),
Evelyn Sharpe, Mendelssohn (Hear my prayer), and Orff (In trutina from
Carmina Burana). In each item Freddy is musically accompanied by Messers
Robinson, Davy and Johnson; and the work of the music staff at St Albans should
not be forgotten in nurturing so appropriately so fine a voice. My only
criticism is the quality of the recording of the piano on some of the tracks and
a slight amount of background hiss more noticeable on some tracks than on
others. While the listener will find a disc packed with lovely Performances, the
highlight for me is a spine-tingling rendition of Richard Rodney Bennett's
The birds' lament, to which I have returned again and again. While I am
sometimes left cold by recordings of star trebles, this was one voice certainly
worth capturing before nature took its course.
American Record Guide, July/August 2007
Freddy de Rivaz, treble
God Be in My Head
GMCD 7308 God Be in
My Head – Sacred and Secular Treble solos with Freddy Revaz
It would be such a shame
to allow the fleeting glory of an exceptional boy treble's voice to go
unrecorded before nature turns it into something entirely different. The
clarity and innocent sweetness of a gifted treble can be irresistible,
especially when there is musicality to match. Thus we are blessed to have this
pleasant little survey of sacred and secular pieces sang by Freddy de Rivaz, a
star chorister in the Cathedral Choir at St Alban's Abbey for seven years.
Master Freddy's
impressive instrument encompasses mach of both the alto and soprano ranges,
with exceptional vocal consistency and juicy depth of tone from top to bottom.
He supports his sustained notes beautifully, and he knows how to use his
youthful vibrato to add contrast to his rock-steady straight tones. He further
offers an exceptional sense of pitch and more than his fair share of precocious
musicianship.
His program includes a
few of the usual sacred boy-soprano Standards, including Faure's 'Pie Jesu' and
Mendelssohn's 'Hear my Prayer'. There's the Bach-Gounod 'Ave Maria' and a
four-century range of mostly familiar pieces from English composers. At the
secular end are an English folksong or two and an Orff excerpt.
De Rivaz offers a nice
contrast to the last solo chorister I covered: Aled Jones (J/F 2006, p 277), who
had a range that was more restricted to the soprano end and a more piercing
sound. He is nicely partnered at the organ, though one of the pianos used sounds
rather clunky (in the Bach-Gounod). Guild records the proceedings well and
offers an acceptable booklet. Despite only 38 minutes of music, the boy treble
crowd should be very happy with this one.
KOOB
Page Created Tuesday August 7 2007
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