STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF THE RENAISSANCE

Pater's essays on classical, late Medieval, and, primarily, Renaissance art and literature are written in high-flown style, intellectually and aesthetically impassioned, and Leighton Pugh delivers them at that elevated pitch. That can be wearying, and perhaps he should have sought a more varied tone, but it's easy to be caught up in his performance. His voice is a fine instrument, deep, strong, occasionally gravelly, but agile and expressive, and his diction is clear and precise, rendering Pater's tone and sense astutely. He impresses with the accurate, or at least smooth and convincing, pronunciation of ancient Greek, Latin, Italian, German, and even Old French. Some listeners may find the complexity and mostly unvaried emotional level challenging, but Pugh delivers a faithful version of Pater's erudite work. W.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2024]