Gramophone Editor's Choices - December 2020

BBC Music Magazine
Christmas 2020
Choral & Song Choice

Fatma Said (soprano), Malcolm Martineau (piano), Burcu Karadag (flute), Rafael Aguirre (guitar), vision string quartet (string quartet)

Ravel: Shéhérazade
Falla: Tus ojillos negros
Serrano, J: La canción del olvido: No. 2, Canción de Marinela
Obradors: 2 Cantares populares: No. 2, Del cabello más sutil
Berlioz: Zaïde, H. 107, Op. 19
Gaubert: Le repos en Égypte
Lorca: 13 Canciones españolas antiguas
Abd al-Rahim: Ana Bent El Sultan
Bizet: Adieux de l'hôtesse arabe, WD 72
Aatini Al Naya Wa Ghanni
El Helwa Di
Sahar El Layali (Kan Enna Tahoun)
Yamama Beida

The young Egyptian soprano Fatma Said, praised for the luminosity and rich colours of her voice, makes her recording debut for Warner Classics with 'El Nour'. Her enticing and absorbing recital programme crosses cultures, combining art songs by French, Spanish and Egyptian composers with Egyptian folk songs and popular songs from the Middle East. As she explains, 'El Nour' in Arabic means 'Light', and this album sheds light on how music that has been interpreted many times can be perceived in a different light. The idea is to connect three cultures - Arabic, French and Spanish - and to show how much, despite cultural, geographical and historical differences, they have in common when it comes to music'.

"Said is an engaging storyteller, though, her French diction sharply animated, with shiny top notes glinting brilliantly...Martineau paints vivid pictures at the piano, too..The popular songs from Egypt and Lebanon that close this imaginative album feature traditional instruments such as the qanun and are a fascinating insight into Said’s musical background. I’ll be fascinated to see where Said goes next." - Gramophone Magazine, December 2020.