Episode 393. George London in Song
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Even before the continuing acts of gun violence in the US this week, I had chosen a theme that necessitated a rather sombre setlist: the artistry of Canadian-born singer George London in recital. Though London was one of the premier operatic bass-baritones in the 1950s, he also reserved a significant corner of his artistic endeavors for the recital stage. This episode focuses on London’s live and studio recordings of this repertoire, which, in part simply by virtue of the dark color of his voluminous voice, tended toward the serious: Schubert’s Heine settings, Brahms’s Vier ernste Gesänge, Ibert’s Don Quichotte songs, Duparc’s sepia-toned melodies, Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder, and his calling-card, Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death. Examples of London singing all of this repertoire are included, accompanied by Paul Ulanowsky, Leo Taubman, Erik Werba, and John Newmark, among others. The episode is dedicated to the memory of all innocent victims in the epidemic of gun violence in the United States.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Gustav Mahler, Friedrich Rückert: Nun seh’ ich wohl, warum so dunkle Flammen (Kindertotenlieder, No. 2). George London, Otto Klemperer, Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester [live Köln 01.V.1955]
Andrea Falconieri: Deh, dolc’anima mia. George London John Newmark [live New York, 15.II.1957]
George Kleinsiger, Beatrice Goldsmith: Absalom, My Son. George London, Joseph Blatt [1948]
Franz Schubert, William Shakespeare [translated Eduard von Bauernfeld]: An Sylvia, D. 891. George London, John Newmark [live New York 15.II.1957]
Franz Schubert, Matthäus von Collin: Der Zwerg, D. 771. George London, John Newmark [live New York 15.II.1957]
Franz Schubert, Heinrich Heine: Der Doppelgänger, D.957/13. George London, Erik Werba [live Wien 11.VI.1964]
Traditional Scottish: Lord Randall. George London, Leo Taubman [live IV.1964]
Modest Mussorgsky, Arseny Golenishchev-Kutuzov: Songs and Dances of Death [Песни и пляски смерти]. Two excerpts.
- Trepak [Трепак]. George London, Hans Langer [film, Bayerischer Rundfunk 1964]
- Lullaby [Колыбельная]. George London, Leo Taubman [1960]
Henri Duparc, Robert de Bonnières: Le manoir de Rosemonde: George London, Paul Ulanowsky [1955]
Henri Duparc, Charles Marie Leconte de Lisle: Phidylé: George London, Paul Ulanowsky [1955]
Jacques Ibert, Alexandre Arnoux: Chanson de la mort de Don Quichotte (Quatre chansons de Don Quichotte, No. 4). George London, Erik Werba [live Wien 11.VI.1964]
Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II: This Nearly Was Mine (South Pacific). George London, The Roland Shaw Orchestra [1957]
Johannes Brahms, I Corinthians 13 [translated by Martin Luther]: Wenn ich mit Menschen und mit Engelszungen redete (Vier ernste Gesänge, Op. 121/4). George London, Leo Taubman [1960]
