Critical Acclaim: The Dicky Bird and the Owl: Victorian Songs and Ballads
Will Crutchfield, The New York Times (August 14, 1983)
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 MHS Review 379 Vol. 11, NO. 1 • 1987
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'' ...
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'' ...