The duets are the most successful of the performances here, occasioning a regret that the programme had not been what at a quick first glance it seemed to be—a recital of duets by these two celebrated singers, whose names have equally large billing in the credits. In fact, Horne sings in everything, and von Stade only in the Mendelssohn group. Together, their voices match remarkably well. As is clear in her solos, Horne has now quite a wide and persistent vibrato, but it is kept in check during the duets, and when the singers have notes in unison, as happens several times, the blend is fine. They have also studied the pieces effectively, so that nuance and phrasing are unanimous and well judged.
For the two solo cycles it can be said that they hold the attention and sometimes reward it. But the voice is now too uneven to give sustained pleasure in such a repertoire on records. Or perhaps it is not just a matter of voice. Brigitte Fassbaender, for instance, only five years younger, is now singing with a tone that is certainly rawer and more unruly than it was, say, ten years ago; yet I would as soon hear her in these songs as any other singer now before the public, essentially because her gift as a communicative artist is so exceptionally great. Horne's expressiveness serves her well up to a point: her Gipsy Melodies have some panache, and the Frauenliebe has one electrifying moment when the opening of the final song presents a woman in whom the change wrought by catastrophe is total and shocking. But the Schumann cycle needs a more subtly varied response, and both sets need a firmer, fresher voice. It must be added that Horne conscientiously lightens her voice in Schumann and is careful over her German, separating the vowel-led words and making everything clear. Martin Katz plays with feeling for rubato, and is sensitive to the singer's intentions.'