The Art of Song

Part II of III: The Art of Bellini

This week, The Art of Song continues to focuses on the romanze da camera. Opera ruled nineteenth century Italian music, but many opera composers also contributed works to the solo song tradition. Tonight, we’ll hear the solo songs of Vincenzo Bellini.

Part I of III: The Art of Rossini

For the next three weeks, The Art of Song focuses on the romanze da camera. Opera ruled nineteenth century Italian music, but many opera composers also contributed works to the solo song tradition. Tonight, we’ll hear the solo songs of Gioacchino Rossini.

American soprano Arleen Auger was a brilliant star whose light was dimmed too soon. We’ll listen to some of her most enchanting interpretations of solo classical songs with music by Schubert, Wolf, Canteloube and more.

Jean Sibelius, Finland’s great symphonic composer, also dabbled in the miniature form of the art song. This week we’ll listen to some of them.

There may not be snow on the ground in Atlanta, but there are plenty of wintry songs to snuggle up next to. Join me for some of these seasonal favorites this week.

English composer Gerald Finzi’s Christmas cantata, Dies Natalis, expresses the joy of and the sense of wonder at the celebration of creation. Like his fellow agnostic countryman, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Finzi wrote this beautiful and spiritual work after a tortured life. We’ll hear a couple of performances this week.

Robert Schumann was able to transform the word and music synthesis that Schubert began by expanding the role of the piano as an equal partner alongside the voice as expressive devices. Tonight we’ll delve into this evolution with excerpts from his definitive song cycle, Dichterliebe, or Poet’s Love.

Called “The last champion of romanticism,” Joseph von Eichendorff’s simple and heartfelt poems resulted in some of the loveliest folk-like songs of the 19th century. We’ll hear some of them.

American soprano Arleen Auger was a brilliant star whose light was dimmed too soon. We’ll listen to some of her most enchanting interpretations of solo classical songs with music by Schubert, Wolf, Canteloube and more.

Franz Schubert was one of the most prolific of all lieder composers, with an oeuvre of over 600 songs. Tonight we’ll explore some of my favorites among the most well-known of his lieder, or German art song.

Henry Purcell was the first great English opera composer whose vocal music was full of drama and textual illumination. We’ll listen to some of his best mad songs.

Henry Purcell was the first great English opera composer whose vocal music was full of drama and textual illumination. We’ll listen to excerpts from his only opera, Dido and Aeneas.

This weekend we celebrate the birthday of George Bizet. He was a very good student, for most of his songs are modeled after those of his teacher at the Conservatoire, Charles Gounod. Let’s hear some of these delightful works.

Italy’s greatest 18th century poet and librettist, Pietro Metastasio inspired composers from Caldara to Mozart, and this week we’ll continue our exploration of these settings.

Italy’s greatest 18th century poet and librettist, Pietro Metastasio inspired composers from Caldara to Mozart, and this week we’ll begin our exploration of some of these settings.

As the leaves change colors and temperatures cool off a bit, we’ll listen to some seasonally influenced songs.

Many ancient philosophies believed that nature was comprised of some basic elements. We begin with songs of the earth.

The world’s best singers are coming to Atlanta to sing in its world class venues, including Spivey Hall and Emory’s Schwartz Center.

Poulenc’s songs are filled with humor and wit, and when needed, deep This week we’ll hear how he continued to refine his art.

In the realm of the mélodie, Francis Poulenc is perhaps the most distinguished composer since the death of Fauré. This week we continue our exploration.

During the first half of his career the simplicity and directness of Francis Poulenc’s writing led many critics to doubt his seriousness. Gradually, it has become apparent that his music sounds simple, but it’s filled with tons of technique and emotion. In the realm of the mélodie he is perhaps the most distinguished composer since the death of Fauré. This week we begin our exploration.

Hungarian pianist, composer and conductor, Franz Liszt was an innovator in his piano and orchestral works, and created new approaches to form. However, his songs are modeled after his predecessors.

While we know him as the father of the string quartet and the composer of over a hundred symphonies, he was also a prolific opera composer who also dabbled in song. We continue with a cantata and some English songs.

While we know him as the father of the string quartet and the composer of over a hundred symphonies, he was also a prolific opera composer who also dabbled in song. We begin with his operas.

Farinelli and Senesino are two of the most famous castrati singers of the 18th century, and this week we’ll explore this phenomenon with some great modern day performances.

Edvard Grieg painted the landscape and people of Norway with his symphonic and piano music, but did you know that he was also a facile song writer? Well, it’s true, and we’ll listen to some of them this week.

Handel is one of my favorite composers, and many singers have made his music their specialty over the years. Let’s compare and contrast some of the best tenors and basses.

Handel is one of my favorite composers, and many singers have made his music their specialty over the years. Let’s compare and contrast some of the best sopranos and mezzos.

Plácido Domingo is one of the most loved and listened to opera singers of the 20th- century, and we’ll listen to some of his latest recordings.

Tenor, conductor and administrator, Placido Domingo’s career seems limitless. We’ll hear just a sample of his early recordings.

The dog days of summer seem to have started quite a bit earlier this year. Now that summer solstice has been celebrated, we’ll listen to some of my favorite music of the season.

Called “The last champion of romanticism,” Joseph von Eichendorff’s simple and heartfelt poems resulted in some of the loveliest folk-like songs of the 19th century. We’ll hear some of them.

French poet and leader of the Symbolist movement in poetry, Paul Verlaine’s life style wavered between criminality and naive innocence, and his poetry is infused with his unique impressions. Let’s listen to some settings of his verses.

He was the foremost composer of the Elizabethan age who was an organist and member of the sovereign’s private religious establishment, the Chapel Royal. Yet William Byrd remained a dedicated Roman Catholic throughout his life. We’ll listen to some of his consort songs.

Unlike his ground-breaking song cycles, Die Schöne Müllerin and Winterreise, his “Swan Songs” is not a cycle in a traditional sense. We’ll explore this monumental collection this week.

Reacting against the rigid conventions of traditional French poetry, Symbolist poets sought to convey individual emotional experience through the subtle, suggestive use of highly metaphorical language. This week we’ll listen to some evocative settings.

Singing classical solo song is not always a somber business, and this week we’ll listen to some funny songs.

French poet and leader of the Symbolist movement in poetry, Paul Verlaine’s life style wavered between criminality and naive innocence, and his poetry is infused with his unique impressions. Let’s listen to some settings of his verses.