Richard Tucker
A Rare Live Recording of the Hineni Prayer for Rosh Hashana.
This audio file, kindly sent by Steve at Shicoff1, is not on any studio recording
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i28nvs1L-ic&feature=em-share_video_user
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Eula Beal, Contralto
Eula Beal, the well-known American contralto, was born in
Riverside California in 1919. She got
her start singing at the Redlands Bowl in local competitions, and attained her
reputation in classical music in the 1940’s, largely as a concert contralto.
She was, in addition to concert singing, recognized for her work in movies. Here
is one of her most beloved concert pieces, Tchaikovsky’s “None but the Lonely
Heart”:
That is simply superb singing! Her upper range, for example,
is most impressive, yet does not distract from the characteristic contralto
sound for which she was so widely recognized. All in all, magnificent vocal
artistry! And here is an equally impressive vocal rendition, this from the St. Matthew Passion, performed together
with Yehudi Menuhin. Listen to the astounding line of this singing; it is near
perfection, as is the violin playing of Menuhin. Such playing and singing are a
rare combination, both then—and especially—now:
Finally, it needs to be pointed out that it was not only
classical music at which Beal excelled. Here, to give an excellent example, is perhaps
one of the most popular religious songs in the repertoire; and one which Eula
Beal sings especially well, The Bach/Gounod “Ave Maria”:
This was a contralto and a contralto indeed!
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
The Great Neapolitan Tenor Francesco
Albanese
Francesco
Albanese was born in Torre del Greco, Naples, and was a popular lyric tenor,
known not only for his work in opera, but as one of the greatest singers of
Neapolitan song. His life and career
were almost entirely in Italy, although he did sing in London, Portugal and
South America. As a result, his work was
largely within the Italian repertoire,
but that of course is a very large part of opera! He did not, to the best of my knowledge,
ever sing in the United States. We have
an unfortunate tendency in the US to think that Italian singers who never sang
here were unsuccessful or
unimpressive. That is a silly kind of
chauvinism, of course; nothing could be further from the truth. He in fact had a very good career, and is
greatly respected today.
His first studies were in Rome, with Francesco Salfi, and it
was there that he made his debut, at the Teatro dell'Opera, in Gluck's
Alceste His early repertoire was to
become his characteristic repertoire, which is leggiero, or light lyric roles, such
as Almaviva, Fenton, Rinuccio, Ottavio, Ramiro, Ernesto (Don Pasquale), Armida,
Alfredo and Nemorino.
He recorded both Ifigenia in Tauride, (1957) and La Traviata
(early 50's ) opposite Maria Callas.
It was not only in opera that Albanese had a good
career. For lovers of Neapolitan music,
Albanese is commonly considered one of the greatest of all singers of
Neapolitan songs, which have a remarkable history all their own. As I always hasten to point out, whenever I
speak of Neapolitan songs, there is a great misconception about what they
are. It seems, for example, that nearly
every operatic tenor and baritone on earth feels obliged to sing these songs,
whether or not they know anything about Naples, its language, literature, or
musical history. As a result of this,
many of the songs are done poorly. In
fact, the Neapolitan song has a style all its own, because these songs have a long history and
in their earliest iterations, they were art songs, much more restrained and
dignified in tone than they now often appear in the hands of many singers.
Further, they were, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a principle
means of instructing a large and unlettered populace in Neapolitan cultural and
literary history--they served as a kind of instruction in napolitanità ; which
is to say in what it meant to be Neapolitan.
Therefore, a great familiarity with Naples, its music, its political
history, its language and its literature
is required to do them well. Several
names come immediately to mind, including Fernando de Lucia—still the all-time
favorite tenor of many Neapolitans—modern singers Roberto Murolo and Aurelio
Fierro, and of course Francesco Albanese.
I think it's possible to get a good idea of just what a fine
singer Albanese was by listening to him sing one of the most popular of all
Neapolitan songs, Dicitencello Vuje.
When I posted this on Youtube, I included the lyrics, and translated
them from Neapolitan into English. It
makes it possible to follow the song carefully.
Isn't that just absolutely wonderful! That is what a Neapolitan song is supposed to
sound like. The first thing you will
notice is that it is completely devoid of shouting, moaning, groaning, glycerin
tears or schlock. It is in fact as well
constructed, singable and dignified as
many a Schubert Lied, making allowance for the theme of romance expressed in a
Latin way and in a Latin language. Of
course, these tonal differences will be expressed in ways particular to both
cultures, but that says nothing about the quality of the artistry, just the
intrinsic nature of the different cultures, languages, and peoples. You can hear the same differences in political
or scientific discussions or speeches.
On the same Youtube page where this song appears, you can find, in the
right hand sidebar, the same song "sung" by the Three Tenors. I don't recommend it:-)
As for opera, here is "Parigi, o Cara....," from
La Traviata, with Maria Callas:
Notice the restraint and the elegance of his singing. This is classy singing, there is no doubt
about it, and very much against stereotype.
I would contend that this is exactly the quality I find in the
Neapolitan songs he sings, and one of the major reasons he sings them so
authentically and beautifully. A first
class tenor, and a credit to Italian music!
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Andrés Huc Santana
By
Fr. Cornelius Mattei
Andrés Huc Santana
To start, let
us hear Santana in Song. Here is the old
but always popular “Le Cor”:
Very
beautifully and masterfully done!
Having begun his operatic career with a small role
in “Louise,” Santana and his young wife left Paris for Marseille where,
patronized by countess Lily Pastré, he was hired by Paul Bastide for the
Théatre Municipal, making his debut in 1941 as Phanuel in Massenet’s
“Hèrodiade.”
In 1943 he
returned to the capital, where he auditioned for Jacques Rouché, singing “Le
Cor” as we have heard it here, making his debut as Sparafucile and also singing
Ramphis and the Commendatore. His next
important step was becoming a star bass at Monte Carlo, where Gunbourg
entrusted Boris, Don Giovanni, the four Hoffman villains, Gounod and Boito
demons to him, thus setting him on his true way.
At
approximately 6’ 7” he certainly had the
imposing physique!
Here is his Faust:
In addition
to some of the previous roles…he sang Bazile in “Le Barbier” at the Comique…he
also performed the Berlioz “Mephisto” and built a following as a bass
protagonist at the Opéra, where he was to remain until the mid-1960’s in a
variety of roles, memorably as both Philippe and the Grand Inquisitor in the
Margherita Wallman production of “Don Carlos.”
In Brussels
for seven consecutive seasons, he wrote his own ticket, appearing in so-called
Chaliapin roles, even essaying both Galitzkiy and Khan Konchak in the same performances
of “Prince Igor.” At Aix-en-Provence he
appeared memorably in Rameau’s
”Platée.” In Argentina, as may be
imagined, he sang at the Teatro Colón.
He was heard to advantage in the French theaters outside Paris, memorably
at Toulon and other venues in the south, so avid for opera in those days, as
well as in Italy, Tunis and Algeria.
American
students attending the AIMS program in Graz, Austria, have fond memories of him
there in the 1970’s. He was also
prominent on the juries of the international vocal competitions. Still teaching in retirement, he passed away
on January 21, 1982 in Paris.
A final
offering: Le Pas d’armes du roi Jean”
Friday, August 7, 2015
John Charles Thomas, The Great American Baritone
John Charles Thomas was born in 1891 in Meyersdale, Pa., the son of a Methodist minister. After study for a medical a career, he won a scholarship to the Peabody Institute in Baltimore in 1910. In 1912 Thomas left the Peabody and toured with a musical troupe, and starred in many musicals, including “Her Soldier Boy”, Maytime, “Naughty Marietta,” and “Apple Blossoms.” His opera career began in 1925 as Amonasro in Verdi’s Aida. He went on to sing in San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia. He would remain at the Met until 1933 , singing opposite great sopranos of the day, such as Rosa Ponselle. Thomas sang a very wide variety of songs:
Here is Thomas in opera, "O du mein holder Abenderstarn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M2oTNjOxY4
Here is Thomas in opera, "O du mein holder Abenderstarn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M2oTNjOxY4
Here is “The Last Time I saw Paris”
And here is the”Green Eyed Dragon”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywcugcb1D1g&noredirect=1
And let's not forget Gilbert and Sullivan!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywcugcb1D1g&noredirect=1
And let's not forget Gilbert and Sullivan!
Thursday, July 16, 2015
WELSH OPERATIC TENOR DAN BEDDOE
The Welsh operatic tenor, Dan Beddoe, was born in Aberdare, Wales, UK on March 16th 1863. He died in December 1937 at the age of 74.
A Cincinnati Enquirer review of a May 1931 performance stated that he "stole the show with voice clear and ringing" with "countless" calls for encores and "with the entire audience of many thousands rising en masse to pay him special tribute."
A December 1931 New York Evening Post article, recalling his singing in the Messiah and the Elijah for the Oratorio Society of New York, noted that he had "been singing for a generation" since his first appearance there in 1903 and described how he was "in marvelous voice and received a standing ovation after each aria he sang.
A New York Times review of the same performance noted that "For Dan Beddoe it was the fortieth year of public appearance. He has become almost indispensable to the Society's performances of the Messiah. The 64-year-old tenor sang as always in keeping with the spirit of the work and with fine musicianship. Age does not stale the many resources of his art."
Here is the great Welsh tenor singing "O Danny Boy:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3otalrk8Ig
And here is "A Moonlight Song:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06OJQ_eJTyY
Friday, July 3, 2015
Jozef Sterkens: Golden Voice of the Royal Flemish Opera
Introductory
Note
[Before I can even begin to
tell the story of Jozef Sterkens, I need, first and foremost, to publicly thank
Pierre at Jozefsterkens2.com. for his absolutely indispensable assistance. Pierre 's site is one of the oldest and most
respected on Youtube, and he is certainly the foremost authority on Jozef
Sterkens, after whom he has named his site. I owe to him the videos and the
biography which I have used in the preparation of this article. Secondly, it is important to point out that
Jozef Sterkens' life consists of two distinct parts: artistry and politics, and
the two influenced each other. He was a
leading figure of the Flemish artistic renaissance in Flanders, during the very
stressful period of WWII. I can only deal here with the artistic life.
Edmund St.Austell]
[Before I can even begin to
tell the story of Jozef Sterkens, I need, first and foremost, to publicly thank
Pierre at Jozefsterkens2.com. for his absolutely indispensable assistance. Pierre 's site is one of the oldest and most
respected on Youtube, and he is certainly the foremost authority on Jozef
Sterkens, after whom he has named his site. I owe to him the videos and the
biography which I have used in the preparation of this article. Secondly, it is important to point out that
Jozef Sterkens' life consists of two distinct parts: artistry and politics, and
the two influenced each other. He was a
leading figure of the Flemish artistic renaissance in Flanders, during the very
stressful period of WWII. I can only deal here with the artistic life.
Edmund St.Austell]
Jozef Sterkens (pseudonym of
Jozef Steuren) was born in Antwerp in 1893.
His parents had a laundry in Antwerp, and hoped that young Jozef could
study to become a teacher. He was a good scholar, and so they arranged—although
their funds were limited—to send him to
the Normal School in Ghent, in 1908. Bright boy though he was, he failed
to develop much interest in his studies, generally speaking, but he did have the
chance to take music lessons from the Flemish composer Emiel Hullebroeck, who
soon discovered that young Jozef had a beautiful tenor voice. Hullebroeck
strongly recommended singing lessons, but family finances made it impossible for
Jozef to do anything but become an art teacher after graduation. Within a few
years, WWI broke out, and Jozef joined the armed forces, where he spent the next
four years working as a nurse in a military hospital. While in the army, he had the opportunity,
along with other artists, to sing for soldiers at the front. His patriotic diligence and hard work led to
his being decorated on four different occasions.
After the Armistice, Sterkens
returned to Antwerp and resumed his teaching career, while also studying at the
Royal Flemish Conservatory. In 1923, he sang for the music critic of a local
newspaper, who in turn introduced him to Edmond Borgers, the leading heldentenor
of the Royal Flemish Opera. After
hearing Sterkens sing "In Fernem Land,"
he offered to give him singing lessons.
In that same year, Sterken's career began, in a modernistic vein that
would characterize much of his later work.
His first concerts consisted of works by Flemish composers Peter Benoit,
Jan Blockx, Jef Van Hoof, and Renaat
Veremans, and were presented to largely Flemish-speaking
audiences.
One of the main reasons many
opera lovers, especially in this country, do not know much about Sterkens' career now is that from the very beginning he
became strongly associated with presenting Flemish music, and music in
Flemish. There were two opera houses in
Antwerp: The Royal French Opera and the
Royal Flemish Opera. The French Opera
dedicated itself largely to French and Italian works, and the Flemish house to
German works, and works in Flemish translation.
Because of Sterken's association with the Flemish house, he did not have
much opportunity to sing the French and
Italian repertoire that held so many great roles for tenors. There were strong
political pressures for him to adhere to Flemish. At this time, Flanders, the Dutch-speaking
part of Belgium, was completely dominated by French speakers and French culture,
and the need was greatly felt, by the Flemish, to establish Flemish art and
culture in Flanders. Sterkens was, in
fact, to become an important figure in that Flemish struggle for cultural
liberation.
He joined the Royal Flemish
Opera in 1925, and his first big success was Tamino, in 1927. He quickly became the leading lyric tenor in
the company. The following year he sang
the St. Matthew Passion in Paris, under the baton of the famous Flemish
conductor Lodewijk de Vocht, and made his first recordings for the French
Gramophone Company. He was also becoming a fixture on Belgian radio. In 1929 he sang Florestan opposite the
Leonore of Lotte Lehmann, who was a frequent performer at the Royal Flemish
Opera. During this period, he took part
in presenting the Dutch versions of Sadko (1925), Paganini
(1927), Jenufa (1927), Sly (1929), Die tote Stadt
(1932), and Daphne (1939)
Sterkens' story from this point
until his death in 1952 is primarily a story of administrative work, both at the
Royal Flemish and elsewhere.
Unfortunately, it is a sad one, full of the political intrigues and
politics of the time. He was even jailed
at one point, after the liberation of Antwerp in 1944, for a period of about 8
months. After that, he fell into
obscurity for a long time, but slowly began to regain his reputation. Just at the moment when he was to be given a
significant post as chairman of the Musical Copyright Society, he died of a
heart attack. The year was 1952. It's a
rather depressing story, really. Those interested in reading of these matters in
more detail can consult 401 Divas, http://401dutchdivas.nl/en/belgian-singers/440-jozef-sterkens.html I am indebted to this site for my
biographical information.
I think it is important to
first hear Sterkens in one of the most lyrical and beautiful renditions I know
of the aria "Glück das mir verlieb,"
from Korngold's Die tote Stadt:
Now isn't that just absolutely
beautiful! I certainly think it is! What kind of voice is it, essentially? I think of Sterken's voice as being in the
Gigli/ Tagliavini/ Schipa fach, which is to say high lyric tenor, but with a
decidedly German/Dutch color. If you
associate colors with vocal sounds, this might be called "brown," as compared to the darker, "black" quality of
the typical Italian voice—or at least that of Gigli, perhaps not so much that of
Tagliavini. Of one thing there can be no
question: this is a very beautiful
voice, absolutely without strain or harsh edge, a superb lyric
tenor.
Next, we can hear in Sterken's
voice the introduction of drama, of a dark and mysterious kind, in Respighi's
Campana Sommersa, a mythical
opera concerning a sunken bell between two worlds, the world of humans and that
of fairies. Choices have to be made, and
tragic consequences may hang on the quality of the choice. It is basically a verismo fairy-tale with
dark forebodings:
The voice, while lyric, has
here acquired some edginess; it is also more dramatic, with greater dynamic
variations. Clearly, the potential for
development into a slightly darker voice is there, but it was never pushed. It was always the lyric and the beautiful
that dominated Sterken's singing.
Finally, to illustrate that
point even more, here is a real rarity, the only known film footage of
Sterkens. It is from a silly,
light-hearted comedy of the kind that proliferated during the 1930's. Here is the Dutch song "Elisa," from the
movie "De Witte:
Notice the voix mixte
high C sharp at the end? A famous voice
teacher once told me that opera voices would be better and longer-lived if
singers and conductors ever figured out that most people far prefer what is
pretty to what is simply loud!. Case in
point! I cannot help but wonder what
Sterkens' fate would have been if he had been born in Italy or France, in years
of relative peace, and had had the opportunity to sing extensively in the
standard Latin repertoire of those countries.
I believe I would be telling an entirely different story
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