Beautifully sung Barber

Karina Gauvin sings Barber's Knoxville, followed by Thomas Trotter on the organ and Alsop and the RSNO for Essays for Orchestra

Composer: Barber 
Repertoire: Knoxville: Summer of 1915; Essays for Orchestra
Artists: Karin Gauvin (soprano), Thomas Trotter (organ), Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Marin Alsop
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Vocal/Instrumental/Orchestral
Label: Naxos 8.559134

In this delightful rendition of Knoxville, Gauvin’s voice blends with the delicate scoring to memorable effect. The two Essays for Orchestra are more of an acquired taste, and I am not sure whether the Toccata Festiva is good music (the balance between organ and orchestra is not good). But it is graced by the playing of Thomas Trotter – the infamous pedal cadenza is simply jaw-dropping.