Carolyn Sampson’s soprano sparkles and Iestyn Davies’s countertenor glides through the air in this compilation, individually and in duet. They sing together with an enjoyment of the music’s ebb and flow that is clearly shared by their pianist, Joseph Middleton. Early in the opening duet, Purcell’s Sound the Trumpet, Sampson throws out a blingy octave leap that stands out a mile – but it’s a moment of exuberance, not a sign of liberties to come.
From the beautifully interwoven Purcell title track to the mellifluous, dirndl-wearing duets by Mendelssohn and Schumann to the bittersweet drawing-room melodies of Roger Quilter, what’s on offer here is beautifully judged, the two voices playing off each other and sharing nuanced expression. They shine in the solos, too, which include a dark, almost angry Music for a While from Davies, and Sampson making something poignantly lovely of Quilter’s Drink to Me Only.
