Essay for Voices

The Songs of Samuel Barber

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November 6, 2000   

PROGRAM

from Ten Early Songs
A Slumber song of the Madonna (1925) Alfred Noyes
Melissa Nelson, soprano
Ren Anderton, piano
There's Nae Lark (1927) Algernon Swinburne
John Miller, baritone
Billie Whittaker, piano
Robert Mills, piano
Love at the Door (1934) John Addinton Symonds
Christopher Ayres, tenor
Robert Mills, piano
Love's Caution (1935) W. H. Davies
Marcie Goldstein, mezzo soprano
Klara Kukumi, piano
Night Wanderers (1935) W. H. Davies
Ramsey Margison, baritone
Dr. Holly Roadfeldt, piano
Of That So Sweet Imprisonment (1935) James Joyce
Elizabeth Maben, mezzo soprano
Ren Anderton, piano
Beggar's Song (1936) W. H. Davies
Michael Cavalieri, baritone
Ann Nagell, piano

Opus 2: Three Songs
The Daisies (1927) James Stephens
Erik Gustafson, tenor
Shu-Wen Wen, piano
With rue my heart is laden (1928) A. E. Housman
Matthew Sopha, tenor
Ren Anderton, piano
Bessie Bobtail (1934) James Stephens
Matthew Paustian, bass
Robert Mills, piano

from Opus 3: Dover Beach (1931) Matthew Arnold
James Newman, bass baritone
Michael Dauphinais, piano

Opus 10: Three Songs (1935-36) James Joyce
Rain has fallen
Sleep Now
Christopher Johnstone, baritone
Keith Molberg, piano
I hear an army
Katie Jones, soprano
Christina Bausman, piano

Opus 13: Four Songs
A Nun Takes the Veil (1937) Gerard Manley Hopkins
The Secrets of the Old (1938) W. B. Yeats
Michelle Murray, soprano
David Murray, piano
Sure on this shining night (1938) James Agee
Melissa Nelson, soprano
Ren Anderton, piano
Nocturne (1938) Frederic Prokosch
Wade Baker, counter tenor
Michael Dauphinais, piano

Opus 24: Knoxville: Summer of 1915
(1948) James Agee
Heidi Yost, soprano
Ren Anderton, piano

INTERMISSION

Opus 25: Nuvoletta (1947) James Joyce
Miranda Crispin, soprano
Deanna Shipley, piano

from Opus 27: Mélodies Passagères
(1951) Rainer Maria Rilke
Un Cygne
Tombeau Dans Un Parc
Le Clocher Chante
Jacob Herbert, baritone
Rubia Santos, piano

from Opus 29: Hermit Songs
(1952-53) Anonymous Irish Texts fr. 8-13th Centuries
St. Ita's Vision
Katie Jones, soprano
Christina Bausman, piano
The Crucifixion
Elizabeth Maben, mezzo soprano
Ren Anderton, piano
Sea-Snatch
Matthew Paustian, bass
Robert Mills, piano
Promiscuity
Miranda Crispin, soprano
Deanna Shipley, piano
The Monk And His Cat
Ramsey Margison, baritone
Dr. Holly Roadfeldt,, piano
The Praises of God
Marcie Goldstein, mezzo soprano
Klara Kukumi, piano
The Desire for Hermitage
Wade Baker, counter tenor
Michael Dauphinais, piano

from Opus 41: Despite and Still  (1968-69)
My Lizard   Theodore Roethke
Lauren Chapman, soprano
Billie Whittaker, piano
In the Wilderness  Robert Graves
Solitary Hotel  James Joyce
Despite and Still Robert Graves
Dena Holland, soprano
Ann Nagell, piano

Opus 45 (1972)
Now Have I Fed and Eaten Up the Rose James Joyce
Christopher Ayres, tenor
Robert Mills, piano
A Green Lowland of Pianos Czeslaw Milosz
Matthew Sopha, tenor
Ren Anderton, piano
O Boundless, Boundless Evening  Christopher Middleton
Michael Cavalieri, baritone
Ann Nagell, piano

Photo

Performances