David Cozy writes:

>... --"Netania Davrath: Soprano who recorded _Songs of the
>Auvergne_ orchestrated by Joseph Canteloube (Vanguard Classics 8001/2)"
>
>My interest is piqued.  Is anyone familiar with these songs, with Netania
>Davrath, with this disc? Is Davrath's version the one to look for? Are
>there better versions? ...

The songs are delightful.  Canteloube, according to Ned Rorem, apparently
influenced a lot of modern composers' orchestrations.  Netania Davrath was
an Israeli singer who was, to some extent, the house soprano for Vanguard.
Her career peaked in the 1960s.  For some reason, she was very popular with
the folkie crowd, and for this reason it dates the poet in my mind.  She
also recorded for Vanguard Honegger's Roi David and Judith and some Mahler
symphonies with Abravanel.  I think there are better sopranos around in
this repertoire.  Try Arlene Auger or de los Angeles or even Upshaw.  The
problem with Chants d'Auvergne is that very seldom do you get the whole
thing in one album.  I had to buy several (with duplications) before I
got everything.  Someone else may know of a complete integral set.

Steve Schwartz