Issues

Issue #38, Page Two

      I am always looking for a way to introduce my love of art song to friends and family. This new CD by Brown and Engel is excellent and the selection of religious songs may even appeal to family members who attend contemporary Christian or praise services.

      Ave Maria, with William Smiddy at the piano, and sung by the clear, beautiful soprano voice of Ms. Engel, is the only Christmas selection. Her other equally fine solo selections are Shall We Gather at the River, Balm in Gilead and On Eagle's Wings.

      The rich, flexible baritone of Mr. Brown caresses one's heart in The Eastern Gate, Will the Circle Be Un-Broken, When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, So High, Ride-On King Jesus, No One Ever Cared for me Like Jesus, I Know that My Redeemer Lives and How Lovely are Thy Dwellings.

      Jeffrey Hoffman is organist for several of Mr. Brown's selections and for the glorious sound of their duets: Let Us Break Bread Together, I Know that My Redeemer Lives, and Amazing Grace. The sound is that of a large church, open and natural, which showcases the voices and instruments effectively.

      To order Songs of Hope, send $20 (includes postage) to: Nancy Engel, 60 East Sunnyside Lane, Irvington, NY 10533 or email Br9Ka@aol.com.

      RCA has been looking in their vaults and bringing out some wonderful CDs in a series titled reDiscovered. Leontyne Price, now retired, finished her studies at Julliard over half a century ago and is represented by her Carnegie Hall recital debut from February 28, 1965. These are well-produced CDs with text, translations and thirty selections by Ms. Price, including her spoken introductions. The selection includes the eight songs of Brahms' Zigeunerlieder, Op. 103, four songs by Poulenc, three by Barber and two by Lee Hoiby and four of her favorite spirituals. She opens with three selections by Handel and sings Summertime and three favorite arias as encores.

      Rediscovered is certainly an accurate title for me where Leontyne Price is concerned. She was my very first LP purchase of opera arias: Prima Donna with music by Barber, Purcell in English, Mozart, Verdi, Puccini and arias in French. The sound of the music and the language entranced me and set my direction in music. When I looked for more I found her songs by Barber and on and on. Oh, not to forget the Porgy and Bess of Gershwin and My Man's Gone Now.

      Also look for Jussi Björling reDiscovered Carnegie Hall Recital September 24, 1955 (RCA 82876-53231-2). Here we have almost 80 minutes of art songs and aria by one of the twentieth century's finest singers, who died in 1960. Most of this CD series has newly released material, but here only nine tracks are new: songs by Grieg, Sibelius and Tonerna by Carl Leopold Sjöberg. Two songs by Tosti stand out and Stephen Foster's Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair may melt your heart. You will also find songs by Beethoven, Schubert, Richard Strauss and Brahms and lots of favorite tenor arias.

      In response to our review of a new CD So Much Beauty, Janeanne Huston, soprano, sent us a gift of her earlier CDs, So Great a Joy (2001) and Living Mysteries (2002) with Michael Kelly, a Virginia native at the piano and other instrumentalists to create a rich variety of settings. These are truly art songs for the Christmas season, with most texts in English (two are in Latin) by English and American composers. Britten's The Birds and Corpus Christi Carol, Gerald Finzi's Wonder and The Rapture, a Peter Warlock song, two by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Christmas Song by Alan Hovhaness with organ and flute-like voice, two by Randall Thompson, Ned Rorem, Norman Dello Gioio, William Bergsma and Samuel Barber make a varied program. Ms. Huston's honeyed soprano creates a soothing experience of reverence and joy in what can be a hectic, even frenetic time of the year.

      On Living Mysteries, chamber music for soprano, winds, strings and piano, her selections range from Bach, Haydn and Mozart to a song cycle, Three Nativity Songs by Don Locklair, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition there is Trois Chants de Noel by Swiss composer Frank Martin and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Three Vocalises for Soprano and Clarinet and one song each by Barber, Finzi and a glorious song by Morton Lauridsen who is chairman of the composition department at University of Southern California. Mr. Lauridsen's Magnum Mysterium is as wonderful a song as I'm likely to hear this Christmas season. These CDs can be purchased from http://dslweb.nwnexus.com/nwac/beauty/

      In our March issue we reviewed a Creo concert with William Anderson, guitarist. His gift of three CDs has offered us many hours of pleasure and challenge. Hausmusic, 20th Century Chamber Music for the Home offers Anderson's Guitar Variations played by the composer and also Danci by Milton Babbit which he played at the Creo concert. There is almost an hour of chamber pieces featuring Anderson's guitar. Details on ordering can be found at www.furiousartisans.com.

      Robert Martin: Diary of a Seducer (CRI CD 838) is a 43 minute piece in three movements: Solos, Duos and Trios. The rest of the CD is music by Charles Wourinen, Milton Babbitt and Elliot Carter for a total of 70 minutes.

      Cygnus Ensemble: Broken Consort (CRI CD 834) contains 71 minutes of contemporary chamber music for a variety of chamber combinations, most of which include two guitars. Anderson's piece is Far Conception for piano, violin, cello, flute, oboe and two guitars. These should be available at your usual record shop or on-line supplier. Happy exploring in the New Year!

      The soaring flute of Debra Wendells Cross and the soothing tones of Barbara Chapman's harp blended to fill Prince of Peace Lutheran Church with rich music on Sunday, September 26, 2004.

      Opening with Andante by W.A. Mozart and five American Hymns which included Amazing Grace; God, Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens and Wondrous Love (used as the program title), the music is not without excitement but the overall effect is to sooth the listener with warm enfolding melody.

      There were Swedish Hymns with my favorite tune being The Holy Wings, presented with a bit of biography of the performers, both of whom have Lutheran backgrounds. This duo is popular throughout Southeastern Virginia. Both are principal musicians with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and are featured every spring with the Virginia Arts Festival.

      Three songs by women composers featured instrumental colors that are not usually heard: Mosaic by Andrea Stern, Simple Things by Kenya Tillery and Sicilianna by Maria Theresia von Paradis.

      The concert was a fund raiser for the Lutheran Council of Tidewater. The exciting news for folks who would like to hear the program again and again is a CD Wondrous Love with profits going to the Council. To order by mail go to Virginia Chamber Players website www.virginiachamberplayers.com and click on Recordings or phone the Lutheran Council of Tidewater at 757-623-0155.

      The Virginia Opera has announced a new program with Glenn Winters as Community Outreach Musical Director. Operation Opera, which will be the largest of its kind in the United States, will offer high energy presentations geared toward adults, from college students to senior citizens, including explorations of Virginia Opera's productions, basic opera primers and advanced master classes. The programs will be designed to fit each adult group's needs and interests. There is no charge to the group for a presentation.

      Glenn Winters has a diverse background in music. He has composed three successful childrens musicals and a full length opera, Much Ado About Nothing. As a singer he has performed over a dozen baritone roles. His undergraduate and masters work were in piano at Indiana University and his Doctorate is from Northwestern. As a pianist he has been a soloist, accompanist and college level teacher. He has also worked as a chorusmaster and college arts administrator.

      "Operation Opera" programs can be scheduled by contacting Glenn Winters at 757-627-9545, extension 3304, or by email to gwinters@vaopera.com.

      Crystal Williams, who graduated last Spring from the Governor's School for the Arts, writes from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburg where she is studying music and enjoying meeting new people:

" My classes are great and my voice teacher, Ms. Susanne Marsee, is wonderful and we work well together. She has a lot to teach me. I am in the concert choir and have a solo in the Winter Concert. I'm singing with a church and we're doing the Pergolesi Magnificat. I love the campus and can't wait until it snows. For now I'm collecting leaves. They look so beautiful and are all kinds of colors. I'll be home for Thanksgiving. Thanks for keeping in touch! Ciao, a presto!"