Lieder and Art Song for Beginners/Intermediates

[Richard Tarleton]

I recall hearing or reading that Pears' voice was close to unique among tenors because the break between chest and head voice was at an unusual pitch.

This came up in the recent Pappano series, and was discussed here with Simon B explaining the technicalities

[Tevot]

... and, after Schubert's night of dreams, what better way to wake up than this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYfn3jFtR5I

Many thanks Ferney for posting this link of Janet Baker and Gerald Moore's interpretation of Morgen. I'd never heard it before. It is sublime imho.

I wish this forum had a "like" facility. This link (and your post) would get 100 from me

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[rauschwerk]

From the British repertoire I have also enjoyed performing (and therefore recommend):-

Quilter: Go, Lovely Rose; Love's Philosophy (and a good deal else besides);

Vaughan Williams: Silent Noon, The Water Mill (I have at different times sung and played this: I much prefer the latter as it's such a pig to memorise!);

Geoffrey Bush: It Was a Lover and his Lass and To Elektra (a ravishing song!);

Holst: Humbert Wolfe Songs (try Persephone, The Floral Bandit and Betelgeuse in Philip Langridge's fine recording);

Frank Bridge: Go not, Happy Day and Love Went A-Riding (both excellently recorded by Pears and Britten) - also the late and little known Tagore songs (I'm fond of Day after Day);

Walton: the Facade settings in which the texts are actually sung (Old Sir Faulk is great fun for the pianist in particular).

[Mary Chambers]

Non-English speakers are in with a chance of getting a translation into their own language, at least for the more popular repertoire. Sometimes it'll be a singing translation, sometimes literal.

It is a great site certainly, but the trouble is that a translation, though helpful, is still not the song as written. I find it very difficult to appreciate songs in a language I don't understand - Russian, for example. That leaves me with English, French and German, which languages luckily cover a great deal of superb repertoire.

Another thing that I feel many people overlook is that the 'accompaniment' (not a word I like) is as important as the voice in the best song repertoire. I remember Roger Vignoles saying that very occasionally after a recital the singer had been taken out to dinner by whoever was hosting them, and he was left to fend for himself. This was a long time ago, and I doubt if it's still true - I certainly hope not!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Frank Bridge: Go not, Happy Day .

- a delightful and delighting song (also in the Ferrier box).

But we should make room for the finest English composer in this genre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBVIJnqtYfs

[Richard Tarleton]

But we should make room for the finest English composer in this genre:

Just pipped me to the post ferney - been thinking about it whilst out kicking autumn leaves. But this is my nomination - the finest version on record (Martyn Hill/Consort of Musicke) does not seem to be on YouTube but this will do nicely

(Thought to refer to the Duke of Alencon, aka the Frog, QE1's unsuccessful suitor, the tune also being that of JD's The Frog Galliard.

[greenilex]

On the question of language and comprehension, I have serious problems with singers who cannot pronounce French.
This may be because, although nowhere near bilingual, I learned French songs in early childhood from a native speaker. But it worries me much less when an English singer malforms a German word. Anyone feel the same way?

[EdgeleyRob]

From the British repertoire I have also enjoyed performing (and therefore recommend):-

Quilter: Go, Lovely Rose; Love's Philosophy (and a good deal else besides);

Vaughan Williams: Silent Noon, The Water Mill (I have at different times sung and played this: I much prefer the latter as it's such a pig to memorise!);

Geoffrey Bush: It Was a Lover and his Lass and To Elektra (a ravishing song!);

Holst: Humbert Wolfe Songs (try Persephone, The Floral Bandit and Betelgeuse in Philip Langridge's fine recording);

Frank Bridge: Go not, Happy Day and Love Went A-Riding (both excellently recorded by Pears and Britten) - also the late and little known Tagore songs (I'm fond of Day after Day);

Walton: the Facade settings in which the texts are actually sung (Old Sir Faulk is great fun for the pianist in particular).

I also recommend any number of songs by Ivor Gurney.

[EdgeleyRob]

These are extremely early works of Britten. He was fourteen years old when he wrote them. Although I agree they are appealing, they are quite derivative. Much better to go for the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings or the rather less accessible Nocturne, both very beautiful orchestral settings of English poetry. Winter Words is a subtle voice/piano setting of poems by Thomas Hardy. Or, to back to French, his Rimbaud cycle Les Illuminations (voice and orchestra) is very exciting.

I don't recommend recordings. I only have Britten's own, with Pears, which are definitive. Otherwise I like live performances if possible, and I know the music so well that it is in any case permanently in my head.

You are right of course Mary but I do enjoy hearing other versions,even though it is difficult trying not to compare them with Britten/Pears.
For example,if I may be so bold as to recommend

Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo; The Holy Sonnets of John Donne; Winter Words

Justin Lavender (tenor)Julian Milford (piano) on Carlon Classics (if it's still available,maybe there are second hand copies out there)

Very different,but valid (IMO)interpretations.

[rauschwerk]

I also recommend any number of songs by Ivor Gurney.

Gurney's music, I confess, doesn't float my boat even though I played some of his songs last year with a soprano I love working with. I have had some fun with Warlock - the roistering Captain Stratton's Fancy and My Own Country spring to mind. When I play the latter I think of the lanes around Eynsford where Warlock lived and roistered, and where I used to ride my bike as a teenager. He had this habit of writing piano parts with loads of notes playable Andante, and then marking them Allegro Vivace or some such. Roister Doister is a typical example: great fun for the singer but crazy for the pianist.

[Mary Chambers]

On the question of language and comprehension, I have serious problems with singers who cannot pronounce French.
This may be because, although nowhere near bilingual, I learned French songs in early childhood from a native speaker. But it worries me much less when an English singer malforms a German word. Anyone feel the same way?

I was also brought up with genuine French. My German was taught by a Viennese teacher.

I've always found French an unfriendly language for singing, whereas I love German. I think English singers are more likely to mispronounce French, but they are much better than they used to be.

I'd be grateful if people who give links would give us a clue what they are.

[Mary Chambers]

You are right of course Mary but I do enjoy hearing other versions,even though it is difficult trying not to compare them with Britten/Pears.
For example,if I may be so bold as to recommend

Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo; The Holy Sonnets of John Donne; Winter Words

Justin Lavender (tenor)Julian Milford (piano) on Carlon Classics (if it's still available,maybe there are second hand copies out there)

Very different,but valid (IMO)interpretations.

I enjoy other interpretations too, but I don't usually bother with recordings. I confess I haven't heard this one, though I know the names.

[gurnemanz]

I was also brought up with genuine French. My German was taught by a Viennese teacher.

I recently acquired the individual and wonderful Julius Patzak Winterreise/Müllerin, recorded when he was 70 with a delightful, for me at least, Viennese tinge to his German.

[gurnemanz]

But it worries me much less when an English singer malforms a German word. Anyone feel the same way?

It doesn't exactly worry me but I do notice even slight imperfections. (German teacher, I'm afraid). One of only two letters I ever got published in Gramophone tentatively suggested that the otherwise thoroughly laudable Hyperion complete Schubert Lieder edition should have used a higher proportion of native speakers of German. The Naxos set has only native speakers.

[EdgeleyRob]

Gurney's music, I confess, doesn't float my boat even though I played some of his songs last year with a soprano I love working with. I have had some fun with Warlock - the roistering Captain Stratton's Fancy and My Own Country spring to mind. When I play the latter I think of the lanes around Eynsford where Warlock lived and roistered, and where I used to ride my bike as a teenager. He had this habit of writing piano parts with loads of notes playable Andante, and then marking them Allegro Vivace or some such. Roister Doister is a typical example: great fun for the singer but crazy for the pianist.

Anyone looking for a way in to Gurney's songs might like to try this.
Not sure they are all suited to the female voice though.
The 5 Elizabethan songs are the pick I think