Critical Acclaim: The Dicky Bird and the Owl: Victorian Songs and Ballads

Mr. Tear is joined by the baritone Benjamin Luxon and no less an accompanist than Andre Previn (but playing a grand) for an en­joyable collection of Victorian ballads ... The title song, by Sir Ar­thur Sullivan, includes a very funny falsetto evocation of prima­donna warblings, but only a few of the others are comedic in in­tent. Most were taken quite seriously by the likes of John McCor­mack and Peter Dawson. To their credit, Mr. Tear and Mr. Luxon treat them accordingly, leaving the humor of "period" style to operate, or not, in the minds of correspondingly disposed listeners. Mr. Luxon has an unusually fine-grained and ingratiating voice (the tenor's is not quite that) and contributes an irresistibly seductive ''Cigarette'' ...