Wobbly Women Spoil My Music

[Mary Chambers]

I think the Schubert was late in her career. Someone told me she sang some Schubert lieder in a recital. Probably, like most of us, she'd always wanted to.

[LeMartinPecheur]

She's also sung, and IIRC recorded, Amy Beach (1867-1944)!

PS I did RC: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beach-Romant...s=beach+kirkby

[Ferretfancy]

Emma Kirkby is another, still going strong at 65!

This is totally irrational, but I'm afraid that Emma Kirkby sets my teeth on edge, I don't know why. I'm glad that she gives pleasure to so many listeners as an obviously fine artist, but I can't endure her voice.

[kea]

Enunciation.

Oi, back to Pedant's Paradise with you!

>.>

I can't abide most vibrato myself and thus rarely listen to, or write, vocal music. On the other hand I was always told it's not something we can ask singers to "turn off" as it's part of the voice, unlike vibrato on a stringed or wind instrument which has to be taught (and which many beginning performers, such as myself, never learned how to do in the first place...)

[Mary Chambers]

This is totally irrational, but I'm afraid that Emma Kirkby sets my teeth on edge, I don't know why. I'm glad that she gives pleasure to so many listeners as an obviously fine artist, but I can't endure her voice.

I suspect response to voices is usually irrational. Emma Kirkby is probably my favourite soprano. I love most English and German tenors, almost always dislike Italian ones. I love countertenors. It's probably just a reflection of the repertoire I enjoy.

I had no idea that Emma Kirkby had sung and recorded anything as recent as Amy Beach!

[Old Grumpy]

Carolyn Sampson in Tavener's Requiem Fragements (Prom 25) has just the right amount of (or lack of) vibrato for my taste.

OG

[Old Grumpy]

Must say I do like Emma Kirby, particularly her earlier recordings. She was on R3 a few months ago (EMS or The Choir??) talking about the recording of the Foundling Hospital Version of the Messiah with The Acedemy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood. Must admit to not normally being a great fan of Messiah - but this recording is splendid.

OG

[cloughie]

Just listened to 4LS - why do the Proms directors year after year get the wrong soloist. I'll be interested to hear what Alice does with Sea Pictures on Saturday - a work which notoriously suffers the 'v' treatment!

[kea]

I do rather like Emma Kirkby as well, along with Montserrat Figuerras and Patricia Petibon and various other sopranos from the early music crowd. At the same time I shouldn't say I'm totally averse to vibrato; for instance, the recording of Frauenliebe und Leben I have, which is with Juliane Banse, does not offend my senses too much; only a few of the louder/higher notes irritate me. I suppose it's mostly operatic style vibrato I object to.

[doversoul1]

Talking about L'Oiseau-Lyre box set on CD Review, Caroline Gill described Emma Kirkby’s singing, ‘she seems to find the thermal like a bird and floats up (to the effect)’. I thought this was most apt.

Old Grumpy

Must say I do like Emma Kirkby, particularly her earlier recordings. She was on R3 a few months ago (EMS or The Choir??) talking about the recording of the Foundling Hospital Version of the Messiah with The Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood. Must admit to not normally being a great fan of Messiah - but this recording is splendid.

In the same week, Handel’s La resurrezione by the same force was braodcast. Hearing Emma Kirkby’s Angelo, you (I, that is) could almost see heavenly beings streaming across the air. It must have been an extraordinary experience for the audience.

Like Mary, I like (not all but a lot of) countertenors but some countertenors seem to sing with quite a bit of vibrato these days. I wonder if castrati had vibrato?

[Ferretfancy]

Talking about L'Oiseau-Lyre box set on CD Review, Caroline Gill described Emma Kirkby’s singing, ‘she seems to find the thermal like a bird and floats up (to the effect)’. I thought this was most apt.

Old Grumpy


In the same week, Handel’s La resurrezione by the same force was braodcast. Hearing Emma Kirkby’s Angelo, you (I, that is) could almost see heavenly beings streaming across the air. It must have been an extraordinary experience for the audience.

Like Mary, I like (not all but a lot of) countertenors but some countertenors seem to sing with quite a bit of vibrato these days. I wonder if castrati had vibrato?

Did castrati have vibrato? Probably on one occasion at least!

[Roslynmuse]

Did castrati have vibrato? Probably on one occasion at least!

[Flosshilde]

If female singers have not got enough power in their voices to fill a hall without pumping up the vibrato perhaps a 21st Century solution would be miking up! ...or is that unHIPP?

Or smaller concert halls? Or better acoustic design, to suit singers rather than large orchestras. I assume that singers have favourite halls - ones where they feel they sound best.

[Serial_Apologist]

Did castrati have vibrato? Probably on one occasion at least!

They had cuts in the health service, for sure!

[Gabriel Jackson]

She's sung Schubert..

And Stravinsky...