Isabel Bayrakdarian: Tango Notturno Soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian latest CD “Tango Notturno” is a dramatic and impressive work dedicated to the dynamic sounds of the tango.
by Joshua Rosenblum
Soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian is the latest classical artist to respond to the siren song of the tango with a CD compilation, and it's clear from the opening bars of the first track, Armenian composer Arno Babadjanian's "Tcheknagh Yeraz," that we'll be in good hands with her. She sings luxuriantly and passionately, with a richly pulsing mezzo quality in her lower and middle registers and a ringing fullness on top. She also responds with unforced, idiomatic vocal colorings to the demands of the texts and melodies. Her range - dynamic, timbrai and dramatic is impressive at every turn, as is her command of the six languages represented here.
Nary a track falls flat. Among the standouts are Carlos Gardel's classic "For Una Cabeza" and Kurt Weill's sinuous "Youkali," to which Bayrakdarian brings equal doses of fire and world-weariness, without sacrificing any vocal luster. Astor Piazzolla's "Che Tango Che" has a rhythmically fragmented vocal line that reflects the violence of the lyric; Bayrakdarian chews it up gleefully, practically turning the song into a one-act play in the process. Farid ElAtraches "Ya Zahratan Fee Khayali" provides an unexpected Middle Eastern take on the tango, one of many examples on the disc of the appeal the form has had for composers worldwide.
Bayrakdarian is accompanied by the eight member Tango Ensemble, led by pianist Serouj Kradjian, to whom she happens to be married. Kradjian is responsible for most of the arrangements; others were contributed by the bandoneon player Fabian Carbone, or by the two in collaboration. The arrangements are outstanding and expertly played by the Ensemble. About a third of the tracks are instrumental only, including Jacob Gade's famous "Jalousie" and two intriguing Piazzolla pieces ("Verano Portefio" and "Invierno Portefio") that pay homage to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons." "Oblivion," a signature Piazzolla number, is rendered as a haunting vocalise. The ride track, "Tango Notturno," by HansOtto Borgmann, from a film of the same name, could almost be mistaken for Kurt Weill; Bayrakdarian caresses its phrases lovingly and dispenses some teasing rubato. This disc stands up well to repeated listenings; indeed, it's downright habit-forming.
