Rêves d'Espagne Henk Neven & Hans Eijsackers

• 1 I. Chanson de Depart de Don Quichotte 03:21
• 2 II. Chanson à Dulcinée 02:47
• 3 III. Chanson du Duc 01:41
• 4 IV. Chanson de la mort 02:58
• 5 Farewell, Granada! 02:50
• 6 Two little stars 01:51
• 7 First meeting 03:09
• 8 Ronda 01:53
• 9 Black Eyes 02:48
• 10 Dream 02:12
• 11 Iberia, Cahier 1: II. El Puerto 04:39
• 12 Triste estaba el rey David 01:43
• 13 Con amores, la mi madre 01:49
• 14 A la caza, sus, a caza 01:46
• 15 Pámpano verde 02:06
• 16 De Antequera sale el moro 02:06
• 17 Alma, sintamos 03:31
• 18 Danzas españolas: II. Oriental 05:15
• 19 I. Chanson romanesque 02:01
• 20 II. Chanson épique 02:53
• 21 III. Chanson à boire 01:49
• Total Runtime 55:08

Info for Rêves d'Espagne

Dutch baritone Henk Neven and pianist Hans Eijsackers join forces for their third Onyx Classics recording, entitled Rêves d'Espagne (Dreams of Spain). Neven's highly individual timbre is unlike that of any other lieder interpreter. He sings with astonishing technical finesse, verbal acuity and sense of wonder. This superbly crafted recital journeys to Spain for a program that features Don Quixote songs from Ibert and Ravel, a selection of songs by 15th & 16th century Spanish composers (arranged by Arne Dorumsgaard) and Shostakovich's rare 6 Spanish Songs Op.100. Pianist Hans Eijsackers has two moments to shine in the Spanish sun as well with solo pieces by Albéniz and Granados.

Henk Neven, baritone
Hans Eijsackers, piano

Henk Neven
is one of the most exciting song interpreters of his generation, having made regular appearances at the Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw and the BBC Proms, whilst being equally at home on the operatic stage. A recipient of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, he has an ongoing recording contract with Onyx and his discs have received critical praise. Neven was a member of the prestigious BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists Scheme and in 2011 received the Dutch Music Prize, the highest honour that the Netherlands Ministry of Culture awards to a classical musician.

This season Neven covers the role of King in the world premiere of George Benjamin's Lessons in Love and Violence at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He also appears with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra with Stravinsky's Pulcinella and with the Residentieorkest perfoming arias by Mozart. Other appearances include songs and arias by Mahler and Mozart with Orchestre de Picardie.

Last season Neven returned to the UK to reprise the title role Don Giovanni with Northern Ireland Opera. On the concert platform performed Die schöne Müllerin with pianist Imogen Cooper at the Wigmore Hall and with Joseph Middleton at Leeds Lieder, as well as making appearances with the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, the International Cello Festival Biennale in Amsterdam, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Sinfonia Rotterdam and Lausanne Cathedral. He also recorded a programme of Elgar songs with Kathryn Rudge and the BBC Concert Orchestra in collaboration with SOMM Recordings.

His operatic roles include Aronte Armide, title role Hamlet, the title role and Leporello Don Giovanni; Conte Le nozze di Figaro; Phorbas Oedipe; Mercutio Roméo et Juliette; Patrocle Iphiginie en Aulide; Aeneas Dido and Aeneas; Marco Gianni Schicchi; Schaunard La bohème; Morales Carmen; Ben The Telephone and Mr. Gobineau The Medium; Mars Vénus et Adonis; Pollux Castor et Pollux; and Frère Léon St. François d'Assise, staged by Pierre Audi and recorded for DVD by Opus Arte. He has appeared at the Opéra National de Paris, La Monnaie, Berlin Staatsoper, Theater an der Wien, Le Duo de Dijon, Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, L'Opéra National de Montpellier, Grand Théâtre de Tours, Opéra de Rouen and De Nederlandse Opera.

On the concert platform he has worked with Marin Alsop and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment at the BBC Proms performing Brahms Requiem, St Matthew Passion with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Beethoven Mass in C with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Concertgebouw, BBC National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio Kamer Filharmonie, Bergen Philharmonic, Combattimento Consort Amsterdam, Noord-Nederlands Orkest, Netherlands Bachvereniging, Vlaams Radio Orkest, L'Orchestre National de France, L'Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre d'Opéra National de Paris, Staatskapelle Berlin, L'Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Orchestre National de Lyon, Les Concerts Spirituels and Les Talens Lyriques. He has worked with conductors including Daniel Barenboim, Simon Rattle, Edo de Waart, Jaap van Zweden, Jan Willem de Vriend, Hervé Niquet, Kenneth Montgomery, Joel Levi, Patrick Lange, Armin Jordan, John Nelson, Ed Spanjaard, Marc Minkowski and Christophe Rousset.

An outstanding recitalist, he is a regular guest of the Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and at the NTR ZaterdagMatinee series. He has performed in the Festival Oude Muziek in Utrecht, Operadagen Rotterdam and the Gergiev Festival. Past highlights include debuts at the City of London Festival and Cheltenham Festival; performances for the BBC Proms; and recitals for La Monnaie in Brussels, Amsterdam's Beurs van Berlage and Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

Henk Neven started recording for Onyx Records in 2011, when his Gramophone-nominated debut album Auf einer Burg was received with the highest acclaim. In 2012, Onyx Records released his second album, The Sea on which he performs songs by Debussy, Fauré and Schubert.

Booklet for Rêves d'Espagne