Sure on this shining night (Samuel Barber, James Agee)

28 March 2021, Tonhalle St. Gallen
Shea Owens, baritone
Roxana Ionescu-Beck, pianist
Video by Video Vitae
Audio by Ursa Recording Studio

[@straightupethics]

Beautiful! Stunning tone and color. Sings a hard song masterfully. Will follow this singer and look forward to hearing more! 👏🏽

[@michaelmiller1215]

I keep coming back to this performance- surely an example of musical perfection. Flawless vocal technique, wonderful interpretation, and an equally fine pianist.

[@maxpetronio8906]

Amazing voice! Amazing performance! Amazing piano! Amazing...

[@markspano3468]

Love Sam barber. Thoroughly enjoyed your performance of this song. Grazie Mille!

[@rpallen3129]

Beautiful, supportive accompaniment. An insensitive accompanist could (easily) ruin the performance, and Roxana Ionescu-Beck enhances it. 👏

[@michaelmiller1215]

The finest performance of this famous piece that I’ve ever heard.

[@twistopherrobin4129]

I've read the comments. Some are of a technical nature. This is (first and foremost) a beautiful song with somewhat mysterious lyrics. Agee leans heavily on alliteration; but you push that to the background and simply love the emotion conveyed. Mr. Owens does a terrific, terrific job with this rendition. There is a sense of "wonder" in his voice... which is appropriate given the song. I don't know enough to say whether Barber would have approved. I do know enough to say: Thank you! Thank you!

[@BawlmuhrBoy]

This is a wonderful baritone performance of one of Samuel Barber’s most lovely pieces set to James Agee’s poetry. I have never heard a recording of Barber, himself an accomplished singer, performing this song, but I imagine he would approve of this beautiful rendition. This song is often performed by sopranos and invariably the words are almost impossible to hear. But with the deeper, lower pitched voice of a baritone, the full power of the music and words are revealed. Bravo, sir!

[@bradleymonroe6443]

I agree. Sometimes this song can be performed by tenors and mezzo sopranos as well.

[@psalmer5690]

I sang it as a baritone vocal major many years ago. Nowhere remotely as well, which is why you'll never see my version on YT.

[@angeladailey6263]

Gorgeous! This is the perfect baritone sound I love on this piece.

[@michaelmiller1215]

A gleam and focus in the tone and timbre of your voice found in very few singers. Birgit Nilsson and Jerome Hines come to mind…

[@vialenguascathy]

Amazing tone

[@BellaFirenze]

Una voce bellissima. Bravo!

[@elianefajioli9558]

Linda canção é ótimo intérprete!!!! Bravi!!!!! Ótimo pianista!!!!!

[@wlawrencemoore]

Glorious!

[@scotthstoney]

Magnificent!

[@Ruffiello]

Lovely performance, Mr. Owens!

[@roblindsey-nassif4433]

What a superb performance.

[@fayewalker318]

Such a beautiful voice!

[@powerliftingcentaur]

So beautiful. Thank you.

[@Yeriring]

Bravo! Stunning performance, love it!

[@jamesyoungopera]

Glorious

[@ghislainedote859]

Lovely

[@splodsquadubdob]

What a voice you have!

[@DavidHughes-op6zl]

It would be incorrect to say that this singer gives us no light nd shade in his intelligent reading of this beautiful song (new to me) but to my ear there's not quite enough. I don't know the score markings but I wanted more variation in the dynamics... It's a strong and attractive voice and I particularly applaud the clear diction. Overall, though, just a tad disappointing.

[@riccardo50001]

Could you do as well, or better?

[@DavidHughes-op6zl]

@@riccardo50001 Totally irrelevant. I wouldn’t have the foggiest idea how to make a soufflé but were I presented with the concoction I'd soon be able to tell how it compared with the superb ones my late mother used to make. In my appraisal of the singer in question I was careful to offer a >constructive< criticism...

[@ericbenjamin2908]

@@DavidHughes-op6zl Correct. The song became all about his great, big voice - which is just wrong. He also attacks most phrases and many notes within the phrase with "scoops" - grace notes that the composer certainly did not indicate.

[@saraimakaila9645]

@@ericbenjamin2908 scooping is a stylistic choice for the modern era of classical singing. It is very common and is not a mistake. Rather, it’s a creative decision and I do not believe the composer would be against it totally

[@Ruffiello]

@@saraimakaila9645 Only in "pop" music.