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This episode celebrates one of the twentieth century’s great contraltos, Canadian icon, Maureen Forrester, an exceptionally versatile, profoundly communicative artist. This past July 25 would have been her 96th birthday. It would be a nearly insurmountable challenge to present all aspects of her artistry in a single episode, so today I have chosen to bestow upon her a title which might surprise you: I am crowning her Queen of Crossover. Clearly both Eileen and Eleanor might look askance at such a claim, but among Forrester’s fellow Canadians, I don’t think anyone can challenge Queen Maureen’s title. Central to this episode is a delicious 1982 issue on Canadian RCA entitled The Other Me, which features la nostra regina canadese in a delectable assortment of pop favorites, ranging from standards from the Great American Songbook (Berlin, Porter, Gershwin, Arlen, Schmidt and Jones, Loesser). In addition, I’ve included a generous sampling of her 1987 recording with pianist John Arpin entitled From Kern to Sondheim: Great American Theatre Songs, as well as a smattering of the folk song arrangements (mostly of Canadian material arranged by Canadian composers) which formed such a vital part of her programs. Her fellow grande dame of Canadian song, soprano Lois Marshall, even joins her in duet on one of those folk songs. I dedicate today’s episode to the memory of my friend Tom Muraco, who collaborated frequently with Maureen and positively adored her.
Countermelody is the 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 author 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 or yearly support at whatever level you can afford.
