Tag Archives: Agustín Lara

Episode 307. Francisco Araiza in Song

November 16, 2024Art Song, Crossover, Great Tenors, Gustav Mahler, Happy Birthday, Lieder, Listeners' Favorites, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, Orchestral Songs, Richard Strauss, Schubert, Singers of Color, Twentieth Century MusicAdolf Friedrich von Schalk, Agustín Lara, Alfonso del Rio, Blas Galindo, Carlo Maria Giulini, Consuelo Velazquez, Daniel García Blanco, Das Lied von der Erde, Dichterliebe, Die schöne Müllerin, Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, Francisco Araiza, Franz Schubert, Franz von Schober, Gabriel Faure, Gustav Mahler, Heinrich Heine, Irwin Gage, Jean Lemaire, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Karl Gottfried von Leitner, Luis Gonzaga Urbina, Manuel de Falla, Manuel Ponce, Maurice Ravel, Otto Julius Bierbaum, Paul Morand, Richard Strauss, Robert Schumann, Roberto Abbado, Romain Bussine, Ruben M. Campos, Siete canciones populares españolas, Wilhelm Müller, Winterreisecountermelody

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In the first year of Countermelody I posted a tribute to to the Mexican tenor Francisco Araiza on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Four years later, that great artist is still with us, and, today, in continuation of my miniseries on Great Mexican Singers, I present a refurbished and expanded bonus episode that I first published three years ago featuring Araiza in art song. A number of live performances are interspersed amongst excerpts from two rare LPs from the mid-1980s: one, accompanied by Irwin Gage, of some rare Schubert Lieder; and the other, accompanied by Jean Lemaire, of French, Spanish, and Mexican art songs. These performances reveal a voice of great beauty supported by a solid technique which provides for seamless legato singing. Add to this near-perfect German diction and an often-probing textual acuity as well as profound musicality and one has all the ingredients that make up an exceptional intepreter of art song. Highlights include a live recording with Carlo Maria Giulini of an excerpt from Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde; the extended Schubert Lied “Viola;” and three Mexican art songs by Blas Galindo and Manuel Ponce; as well as two bracing excerpts from Araiza’s 1986 album of popular Mexican song.

Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody’s Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly support at whatever level you can afford.

Episode 149. Music Black and Queer

June 17, 2022African American Singers, BHM2023WK2, Black History Month, Drag Performance, Interview, Needle Drop, Pop Icons, Protest Songs, Queer Pride, Singers in Old Age, Singers of Color, Twentieth Century Music, Voiceless WondersAgustín Lara, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Billy Preston, Billy Strayhorn, Bobby Short, Carmen McRae, Carolyn Franklin, Charlie Shavers, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Esquerita, Frankie "Half-Pint” Jaxon, Gladys Bentley, Irving Berlin, Irving Mills, Jackie Shane, Jacques Prévert, Jo Bouillon, Joan Armatrading, Johnny Mathis, Joseph Kosma, Joséphine Baker, Larry Owens, Mabel Mercer, Michael R. Jackson, Nona Hendryx, Oscar Peterson, Rona Siddiqiui, Sylvester, Tracy Chapman, Wendell Marshallcountermelody

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Over the course of history, for Persons of Color who also happen to be queer, the interface between these two populations is sometimes an enormously challenging one, but one which also frequently produces path-breaking musical artists of enormous courage and originality. In celebration of Juneteenth this coming weekend, and as a follow-up to my Queer Blues episode published last year, I once again pay tribute to an extraordinary array of Black and Queer musical artists across a wide spectrum of popular musical styles, be it Blues, jazz. middle-of-the-road pop, musicals, rock ‘n’ roll, disco, and folk. Artists represented include Billy Strayhorn, Billie Holiday, Johnny Mathis, Tracy Chapman, Mabel Mercer, Joan Armatrading, Nona Hendryx, Sylvester, Joséphine Baker, Jackie Shane, Carmen McRae, Billy Preston, Esquerita, and Carolyn Franklin, Michael R. Jackson, the 2022 Tony Award winner for A Strange Loop, is introduced by my dear friend the theater scholar David Savran, who describes what makes this piece and its creator so daring and original.

Episode 50. Rogue Tenors (Crossover Classics VI)

August 30, 2020African American Singers, CrossoverAgustín Lara, Ah Sweet Mystery of Life, Al Dubin, Ay ay ay, Beniamino Gigli, Boudleaux and Faye Bryant, Bronislau Kaper, Camille Nickerson, Carlo Bergonzi, Cesare Andrea Bixio, Charles Kullman, Charles Marshall, Dermot Macmurrough, Erich Korngold, Ernesto de Curtis, Fernando de Lucia, Francisco Araiza, Franco Corelli, Fritz Wunderlich, Gene Pitney, Georges Thill, Granada, Hans May, Harry Warren, Hello Mary Lou, Irving Berlin, James Melton, Jan Kiepura, Javier Camarena, Jerry Hadley, John McCormack, Joseph Schmidt, Júrame, Jussi Bjorling, Knut O.W. Almroth, Lao Silésu, Lauritz Melchior, Lennon & McCartney, Leonello Casucci, Love Hurts, Macushla, Mamma, Marcel Wittrisch, María Grever, Miguel Fleta, Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’, Osmán Pérez Freire, Paolo Tosti, Peter Hofmann, René Kollo, Richard Crooks, Richard Tauber, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Roland Hayes, Sammy Fain, Schöner Gigolo [Just a Gigolo], September in the Rain, Tandy MacKenzie, Tito Schipa, Tu ca non chiagne, W.J. Coelho, What’ll I Do?, Yesterdaycountermelody

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Our crossover series continues, this time with a full episode dedicated to more than a century of great tenors singing crossover material, beginning in 1902 with Fernando de Lucia’s recording of “Serenata” by Paolo Tosti . Along the way we observe the evolution of the genre from Victorian ballads through Neapolitan songs and Spanish-tinged material (you have not lived until you have heard Fritz Wunderlich sing “Granada”!); from folk songs and musicals to international film theme songs and popular rock hits. Other featured singers include John McCormack, Richard Crooks, Charles Kullman, Tito Schipa, Carlo Bergonzi, Franco Corelli, Miguel Fleta, Jussi Björling, Roland Hayes, Tandy MacKenzie, Francisco Araiza, Joseph Schmidt, Beniamino Gigli, Marcel Wittrisch, Georges Thill, Richard Tauber, Jan Kiepura, James Melton, Lauritz Melchior, René Kollo, Peter Hofmann, Javier Camarena, and Jerry Hadley. Today’s episode is pure escapism, until you find yourself weeping at the unexpected beauty and pathos of it all.

Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” Occasional guests from the “business” (singers, conductors, composers, coaches, and teachers) lend their distinctive insights. At Countermelody’s core is the interaction between singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. Please visit the Countermelody website (www.countermelodypodcast.com) for additional content. And please head to our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/countermelody to pledge your monthly support at whatever level you can afford. Bonus episodes available only to Patreon supporters are currently available!