Reneé Fleming & Jean-Yves Thibaudet - Night Songs (Fauré, Debussy, Marx, Strauss, Rachmaninov)

"Mandolin" appears in two versions, Fauré's gently swinging one balanced by Debussy's bouncier take. The Rachmaninoff set also fascinates, her sensuous voice bringing its own rewards. Best of all are the German lieder by Joseph Marx and Richard Strauss. This is closer to home for Fleming, and one senses an ease in her singing that digs behind the words to the meaning of the poems. The Marx set is the highlight, perhaps because his songs are the least familiar here. They're also things of great beauty, and Fleming makes the most of the dreamily sensuous "Selige Nacht" and the twisted, nightmarish waltz of "Pierrot Dandy." The Strauss songs are as good: to cite one highlight, Fleming's rapt inwardness makes "Ruhe meine Seele" compelling. Her voice is never less than drop-dead gorgeous, and she's neatly accompanied by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. A feast for Fleming fans. --Dan Davis