No Choice But Love
Britten: Canticle I; Jake Heggie: Friendly Persuasions; Ben Moore: Love Remained; No Choice But
Love; Poulenc: Tel jour, telle nuit; plus songs by Falla, Ricky
Ian Gordon, Jennifer Higdon, Smyth, Mari Esabel Valverde and Willie Lee Alexander III
Eric Ferring (tenor), Madeline Slettedahl (piano)
Lexicon Classics LC2206 90:03 mins
At a time of backlash against the increasing visibility and rights of LGBTQ+ people in America and elsewhere, tenor Eric Ferring and pianist Madeline Slettedahl have devoted their debut full-length release to ten current and historic composers from the community. Reaching back to Smyth, Falla, Poulenc and Britten, not all the past composers were publicly out – and far from all the 28 songs are overtly queer in content. Yet it’s a diverse selection, gathered with the aim of ‘empowering our networks’, and it embraces a wealth of LGBTQ+ experience from trauma to joy.
The emphasis is on the celebration of love – and it proves a rich listening experience, thanks to the artistry of Ferring and Slettedahl. Bookending the collection, Ben Moore’s Love Remained and No Choice but Love jointly sum up the agenda with a respective clarion call on behalf of struggling youth, and a delight in LGBTQ+ love as an innate instinct.
Jake Heggie, Ricky Ian Gordon and Jennifer Higdon are prominent members of the community as well as renowned songsmiths, and the latter’s Whitman setting Lilacs proves a highlight in its depth and range of expression over just seven minutes. Most of the songs are considerably shorter but all pack
an emotional punch in vivid vocal and pianistic colours – and there are some real gems among the lesserknown. Outstanding are two, heartstopping Tove Ditlevsen settings by Mari Esabel Valverde, while Willie Lee Alexander III’S Sure On This Shining Night has a gorgeous lyrical intensity. Steph Power PERFORMANCE ★★★★
RECORDING ★★★★