Episode 126. Canadian Singers of Art Song (Great Canadian Singers)
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After two weeks of so-called “deep dives” into the careers and recordings of Lois Marshall and Jon Vickers – two of the greatest Canadian singers – this week I offer a potpourri episode of great Canadian singers singing art song. Contemporary Canadian art song, mélodie, and Lieder: it’s all here, and sung by a bevy of Canadian beauties of all vocal categories: among others, sopranos Irene Jessner, Pierrette Alarie, and Teresa Stratas; mezzo-sopranos Maureen Forrester, Portia White, and Catherine Robbin; tenors Léopold Simoneau, Raoul Jobin, and Richard Verreau; baritones Victor Braun, Gino Quilico, and James Milligan; and bass-baritones George London, Joseph Rouleau, and Donald Bell. They perform work of Schubert, Loewe, Strauss, Weill, and Hindemith, Duparc, Debussy, Milhaud, Honegger, and Sauguet, as well as Canadian composers Oskar Morawetz, Godfrey Ridout, and Robert Fleming, accompanied by John Newmark, John Wustman, Allen Rogers, Glenn Gould, and others. The episode begins with tributes to two recently deceased singers: the early music tenor Nigel Rogers and the Verdi baritone Gianni Maffeo, as well as a teaser on next week’s episode on the extraordinary Maria Ewing. “O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!”
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Claudio Monteverdi, Alessandro Striggio: Possente spirto. (L’Orfeo). Nigel Rogers, Jürgen Jürgens, Camerata Accademica Hamburg [1974]
Giacomo Puccini, Guelfo Civinini, Carlo Zangarini (after David Belasco): Minnie, dalla mia casa son partito (La fanciulla del West). Gianni Maffeo, Jaroslav Vogel, Prague National Theatre Orchestra [1967]
Georges Bizet, Henri Meilhac, Ludovic Halévy (after Prosper Mérimée): Si tu m’aimes, Carmen (Carmen). Maria Ewing, Gino Quilico, Zubin Mehta, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden [1991]
Franz Schubert, Franz von Schober: An die Musik, D. 547. George London, Leo Taubman [1962 filmed concert]
Frank Valentin Van der Stucken, Anonymous (after Charles Polydore de Mont): O komm mit mir in die Frühlingsnacht!, Op. 21/1. Irene Jessner, Bruno Reibold, Victor Symphony Orchestra [1942]
Jules Massenet, Louis Gallet: Élégie. Raoul Jobin, unknown pianist and cellist [1940]
Franz Schubert, Franz von Bruchmann: Am See, D.746. Bernard Diamant, John Newmark [1964]
Franz Schubert, Wilhelm Müller: Tränenregen (Die schöne Müllerin, D.795/10). Jean-Paul Jeannotte, Jeanne Landry [1963]
Franz Schubert, Wilhelm Müller: Gute Nacht (Winterreise, D.911/1). Victor Braun, Antonín Kubálek [1990]
Henri Duparc, Théophile Gautier: Au pays où se fait la guerre. Léopold Simoneau, Allen Rogers [1958]
Claude Debussy, Stéphane Mallarmé: Apparition. Pierrette Alarie, Allen Rogers [1958]
Henri Sauguet, Max Jacob: Le petit paysan (Visions infernales, No. 5). Gaston Germain, John Newmark [1967]
Arthur Honegger, Pierre Bédat de Monlaur: Duo (Saluste du Bartas, No. 6). Catherine Robbin, Michael McMahon [1985]
Darius Milhaud, Louise de Vilmorin: Ballade nocturne (Mouvements de coeur, No. 6). Joseph Rouleau, Claude Savard [1971]
Reynaldo Hahn, François Coppée: Mai. Richard Verreau, Guy Bourassa [live Québec 1960]
Traditional Canadian, arr. Godfrey Ridout: J’ai cueilli la belle rose (Folk Songs of Eastern Canada, No. 1). Judith Forst, Mario Bernardi, CBC Vancouver Orchestra [1989]
Carl Loewe, August Kopisch: Der Nöck, Op. 129/2. Donald Bell, John Wustman [1962]
Richard Strauss, Karl Simrock (after William Shakespeare): Wie erkenn’ ich mein Treulieb (Ophelia-Lieder, Op. 67/1). Roxolana Roslak, Glenn Gould [1977]
Karl Weigl, Paul Reiner: In goldener Fülle (Fünf Duette, No. 4). Colette Boky, George Shirley, David Garvey [1973]
Rainer Maria Rilke: Mariä Heimsuchung (Das Marienleben, No. 4). Lotte Lehmann [1958]
Paul Hindemith, Rainer Maria Rilke: Mariä Heimsuchung (Das Marienleben, Op. 27/4 [Revised version]). Frances James, George Brough [1950]
Robert Fleming, Owen Dodson: Oh, my boy Jesus, my first and only son (The Confession Stone, No. 8). Maureen Forrester, John Newmark [1982]
Oskar Morawetz, William Blake: Mad Song. James Milligan, Oskar Morawetz [1961]
Kurt Weill, Erich Kästner: Das Abschiedsbrief. Teresa Stratas, Richard Woitach [1981]
Traditional Scottish, Lady John Scott: Think On Me. Portia White [unknown pianist, date, and venue]