A Phoenix Rising
Brian Smith Walters tenor
Adam Johnson piano
Tenor Brian Smith Walters is a force to be reckoned with — endowed with a dark, thundering timbre and magnificent, towering style, he is the embodiment of a Heldentenor. His first Navona Records release is a challenging cross-section of chansons and Lieder spanning five centuries, and Walters navigates them with stunning bravado.
It doesn’t matter whether he sings Purcell or Copland, Schubert or Saint Saens, Tchaikovsky or Barber, Wagner or Szymanowski – the energetic grip Walters has on every single piece is awe-inducing, every rendition buzzing with vibrance and profundity. Accompanied here by only the piano, there is only one word to describe the tenor and A PHOENIX RISING: intense.
Listen
Stream/Buy
Choose your platform
Track Listing & Credits
| # | Title | Composer | Performer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Not all my torments | Henry Purcell, Benjamin Britten | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 3:21 |
| 02 | Der Schiffer | Franz Schubert | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:08 |
| 03 | Lied eines Schiffers an die Dioskuren | Franz Schubert | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:59 |
| 04 | Aimons-nous | Camille Saint-Saëns | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 4:42 |
| 05 | Hotel by v edinoe slovo | Pyotr Tchaikovsky | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 1:53 |
| 06 | Im wunderschönen Monat Mai | Maude Valérie White | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 1:14 |
| 07 | Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen | Maude Valérie White | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:28 |
| 08 | Aus meinen Thränen sprießen | Maude Valérie White | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 0:59 |
| 09 | Three Moods of the Sea: Requies | Ethel Smyth | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 3:12 |
| 10 | Three Moods of the Sea: Before the Squall | Ethel Smyth | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 4:17 |
| 11 | Three Moods of the Sea: After Sunset | Ethel Smyth | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 3:31 |
| 12 | Pent | Amanda Ira Aldridge | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:24 |
| 13 | Shine, Pale Moon | Amanda Ira Aldridge | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:25 |
| 14 | D'une prison | Reynaldo Hahn | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:43 |
| 15 | L'heure exquise | Reynaldo Hahn | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:18 |
| 16 | Fêtes galantes | Reynaldo Hahn | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:02 |
| 17 | Go, lovely rose | Roger Quilter | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 3:05 |
| 18 | Czasem, gdy długo na pół sennie marzę | Karol Szymanowski | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:55 |
| 19 | Auf geheimem Waldespfade | Charles T. Griffes | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:14 |
| 20 | At the River | arr. Aaron Copland | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 3:24 |
| 21 | Sure on this shining night | Samuel Barber | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 2:23 |
| 22 | Don't Ever Try (To Make My Heart Understand) | Angela Morley | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 3:27 |
| 23 | Hope There's Someone | ANOHNI | Brian Smith Walters, tenor; Adam Johnson, piano | 3:17 |
Recorded November 30, December 1, 2022 at Mill Loft Studios in London, United Kingdom
Recording Session Producer and Engineer Alex Hunt
Mastering Melanie Montgomery
Track 13
Composed by Amanda Ira Aldridge under the pen name Montague Ring
Executive Producer Bob Lord
A&R Director Brandon MacNeil
A&R Danielle Sullivan
VP of Production Jan Košulič
Audio Director Lucas Paquette
VP, Design & Marketing Brett Picknell
Art Director Ryan Harrison
Design Edward A. Fleming
Publicity Patrick Niland
Artist Information
Brian Smith Walters
Described by Pierre Boulez as “un musicien formidable” and “unflaggingly robust” by Opera Magazine, tenor Brian Smith Walters began his musical career as a French horn player before turning to singing. In his career, Walters has performed over 75 roles, including such roles as Tristan in Tristan und Isolde, Siegfried, Parsifal, Siegmund in Die Walküre, Paul in Die tote Stadt, Samson in Samson et Dalila, Captain Vere in Billy Budd and Peter Grimes. He has worked with conductors Valery Gergiev, Sir Mark Elder, and Christoph Eschenbach in festivals such as Lucerne, Schleswig-Holstein, Longborough, Buxton, Grange Park, and Aldeburgh with additional work at the Barbican and Royal Opera, Covent Garden.
Notes
Brian Smith Walters, tenor and Adam Johnson, piano
