Tag Archives: Elisabeth Schumann

Episode 227. A Golden Age Christmas

December 9, 2023African American Singers, Art Song, Great Tenors, Holiday Music, In Memoriam, Mezzo Madness, Needle Drop, NYCO Divas, Orchestral Songs, Pop Icons, Protest Songs, Renata Scotto, Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Twentieth Century MusicAdolphe Adam, Alexis Contant, Alphonse Daudet, André d’Arkor, André Kostelanetz, Anton Guadagno, Arthur Bergh, Beverly Sills, Cesar Franck, Charles Gilibert, Clarence Dickinson, Dalton Baldwin, Dorothy Maynor, Douglas Gamley, Easthope Martin, Eddie Sauer, Elena Gerhardt, Elisabeth Schumann, Elly Ameling, Elsa Alsen, Erik Werba, Franz Xaver Gruber, Frederick G. Martens, George Frideric Handel, Giovanni Martinelli, Herbert von Karajan, Irmgard Seefried, Joan Sutherland, John Henry Hopkins Jr., John McCormack, Joseph Mohr, Leontyne Price, Lotte Lehmann, Louis H. Redner, Margarete Matzenauer, Martin Boelitz, Max Bloch, Max Reger, Nathaniel Shilkret, Olive Fremstad, Peter Cornelius, Phillips Brooks, Phyllis Curtin, Pietro Yon, Renata Tebaldi, Richard Bonynge, Richard Crooks, Richard Lert, Robert McGimsey, Rosario Bourdoncountermelody

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:22:05 — 79.8MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

In the midst of our recent move, I came across a stash of old “mixtapes” (actually CDs and much other archival material. One such item which particularly moved me was one entitled “A Golden Age Christmas 2003” which I handed out to my colleagues and friends twenty years ago. Looking over the tracklist, I realized that this was a sort of early iteration of Countermelody: me sharing music that I particularly loved with people that I cared about. Today’s podcast uses as its basis that same CD (slightly trimmed in length) and features performances by a glorious group of singers ranging from Olive Fremstad, Charles Gilibert, and Margarete Matzenauer from the early years of the twentieth century to such later favorites as Elly Ameling, Beverly Sills, and Leontyne Price. I can’t guarantee that this episode will put you in the holiday spirit, but I sure hope it does!

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. Bonus episodes available exclusively to Patreon supporters are currently available and further bonus content including interviews and livestreams is planned for the upcoming season.

Episode 119. Christmas (Art) Songs

December 10, 2021African American Singers, Art Song, Great Baritones, Holiday Music, Lieder, Margaret Price, Mezzo Madness, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, Richard Strauss, Singers of Color, Voiceless WondersAafje Heynis, Arnolt Schlick, Benjamin Luxon, Claron McFadden, Dalton Baldwin, David Willison, Edita Gruberová, Eduard Mörike, Elias Arizcuren, Elisabeth Schumann, Elly Ameling, Elsie Houston, Emanuel Geibel, Felix Lavilla, Friedrich Haider, Genevieve Touraine, Geoffrey Parsons, George Frideric Handel, Gonzalo Soriano, Hermann Prey, Hugo Wolf, Irène Aïtoff, Irmgard Seefried, Irwin Gage, Janet Baker, Joaquín Nin, Joaquin Rodrigo, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johannes Koch, Jorma Hynninen, Joseph Canteloube, Joseph Marx, Justino Diaz, Karl Alwin, Katja Phillabaum, Kim Borg, Kurt Gaebel, Leonard Hokanson, Lois Marshall, Lotte Lehmann, Margaret Price, Martin Isepp, Maurice Ravel, Michael Head, Noël Lee, Norman Bailey, Norman Shetler, Novalis, Paul Heyse, Pentti Koskimies, Peter Cornelius, Peter Schreier, Peter Warlock, Rainer Maria Rilke, Ralf Gothoni, Richard Strauss, Rita Streich, Roger VIgnoles, Sarah Walker, Sergiu Celibidache, Teresa Berganza, Tom Krause, Victoria de los Angeles, Walter Gerwig, Weldon Kilburn, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Yolanda Marcoulescoucountermelody

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:33:52 — 109.3MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

It’s time for my third annual Christmas show! Can you believe that Countermelody has been around that long already? This year I am reviving last year’s theme, Christmas-themed art songs, but with all-new material this time around as sung by some of my very favorite singers, including Elly Ameling, Teresa Berganza, Norman Bailey, Irmgard Seefried, Lois Marshall, Benjamin Luxon, Jennie Tourel, Jorma Hynninen, Janet Baker, Peter Schreier, Sarah Walker, and many, many more. It’s an absolutely chock-full episode which focuses upon seasonal songs by Hugo Wolf, Joaquín Nin, Richard Strauss, Peter Warlock, Paul Hindemith, Peter Cornelius, Joaquín Rodrigo, and Maurice Ravel, among others. Attention is devoted to many of the characters in the original Christmas story: the Virgin Mary, the Shepherds, the Magi, and the Baby Jesus himself, while also not neglecting songs that address the less joyous aspects of the holiday season. I guarantee that your spirits will be uplifted, however, when Lotte Lehmann “drops in” to recite two of the poems from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Marienleben cycle. In addition, the episode begins with a tribute to Justino Díaz, who this past week received a Kennedy Center Honor.

Episode 35. Charm: A Second Helping

May 17, 2020African American Singers, Art Song, Comic Relief, In Memoriam, Needle Drop, OperettaAksel Schiotz, Alan Jay Lerner, Anton Paulik, Brigadoon, Burton Lane, Carl Nielsen, Carl Zeller, Charles Trenet, Conchita Supervia, Danny Kaye, Der Vogelhändler, Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, Dorothy Warenskjold, Dusolina Giannini, Eduardo di Capua, Edwin Schneider, Elisabeth Schumann, Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Logan, Emmerich Kálmán, Enrique Granados, Erich Kunz, Franz Lehár, Frederick Loewe, Fritzi Massary, Gabriel Bacquier, Gilbert & Sullivan, Harold Adamson, Hermann Prey, Hilde Güden, HItting a New High, Im Prater blüh’n wieder die Bäume, Jean Laforge, Jimmy McHugh, Johann Strauss II, John McCormack, Joséphine Baker, Judith Blegen, Julie Andrews, Julius Patzak, Lily Pons, Lois Marshall, Lucia Popp, Lucrezia Bori, Magda Kalmár, Marc Berthomieu, Maria Kurenko, Marta Eggerth, Maurice Ravel, Maxine Sullivan, Müde bin ich geh’ zur Ruh, O Sole Mio, Richard Tauber, Robert Stolz, The Last Rose of Summer, Tito Schipa, Weißt Du wieviel Sternlein stehen, Yip Harburg, Yvonne Printempscountermelody

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:45:01 — 105.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

Last week we had such an overflowing of vocal, artistic, and personal charm that I was compelled to produce a second episode on the subject with a fresh batch of charmers. We begin the episode with a tribute to Gabriel Bacquier, the iconic French (bass-)baritone who died this past week just four days short of his 96th birthday. I feature him in three rare selections that represent him in repertoire which is a far cry from his operatic roles. I then resume the survey of charm as demonstrated by artists as varied as Conchita Supervia, Joséphine Baker, Hilde Güden, Ella Fitzgerald, Yvonne Printemps, John McCormack, Lois Marshall, Charles Trenet, Lucrezia Bori, Lily Pons, Hermann Prey, Dusolina Giannini, Tito Schipa, Richard Tauber, Julie Andrews, Julius Patzak, Maria Kurenko, Judith Blegen, Danny Kaye, Marta Eggerth, Elisabeth Schumann, Fritzi Massary, Maxine Sullivan, Magda Kalmár, Ella Logan, Dorothy Warenskjold, Aksel Schiøtz, Erich Kunz, and Lucia Popp. Repertoire ranges from operetta (including Franz Lehár in three different languages), folk song arrangements, musicals, art song, pop music, and children’s songs. Amazingly, opera is nowhere to be seen in this episode, but that will certainly change in the next week, when we take up consideration of Charm’s cousin, Glamour.

Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glories of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great classical and opera singers of the past and present with the help of guests from the classical music field: singers, conductors, composers, coaches, agents, and voice teachers. 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 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.