Chausson: Poème de l'amour et de la mer / Berlioz: Les nuits d'été / Schoenberg: Song of the Wood Do

Gramophone Classical Music Guide 2010 “These three absorbing interpretations are a welcome addition to the growing discography of Dame Janet in live performances, where the frisson of a 'real' occasion adds an extra immediacy to her readings. Dame Janet recorded Nuitsd'étés some 10 years earlier with Barbirolli, when speeds were on the slow side. Here they're even more deliberate, possibly the longest 'Le spectre de la rose' on disc. The extra time allows the singer to bring an even deeper sense of mystery and longing to the four middle songs. Has 'Absence' ever sounded so sad and eloquent? Her ability to control a wide range of dynamic effects is astonishing. Giulini and the LPO couldn't be more supportive. All the recordings are a tribute to the BBC's recording expertise, giving more presence to the voice than is often the case today. Apart from one disfiguring cough in the Berlioz, the presence of an audience is hardly intrusive.”