None of these songs was originally conceived in terms of the orchestra, though in rescoring the more familiar piano versions Liszt often improved on his first thoughts: the storm effects of ''Der Alpenjager'' (the third of the Tell songs) cry out for orchestration, as do Joan of Arc's visionary trumpet fanfares, and the removal of all that exhibitionist piano brilliance from the accompaniments of the Three Songs greatly enhances the impact of the vocal line. It must be said that none of this is vintage Liszt, and the songs are too much of a muchness to be enjoyable in complete sequence (even if the disc does only last 42 minutes).
Solo performances are generally adequate, though none of the singers really shines, and some of the pronunciation is a little unclear (Tamara Takacs's French is initially indistinguishable from Ilona Tokody's German). Accompaniments, too, though admirably discreet, never rise to any great heights of emotional excitement. Recordings are clear, with a good soloist-orchestra perspective, and the booklet includes texts of the songs, though only in the original German and French.'