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The John Mccormack Songbook

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The John Mccormack Songbook The John McCormack Songbook *********** Ross Scanlon, Tenor David O’Shea, Piano La Navideña Feria Internacional de las Culturas Madrid 2016 Auditorio Casa de Reloj Matadero Madrid Born into a working-class family in Athlone in 1884, John McCormack went on to be one of the musical superstars of the early recording era. After his success in the Dublin Feis Ceoil in 1903, he travelled to Milan to study with Vincenzo Sabatini, and later made his Covent Garden debut in 1907 at the age of 23, becoming the theatre’s youngest ever lead tenor. A successful operatic career followed, and by the time McCormack retired from the operatic stage in 1923 he had performed around the world, in Europe and America and as far afield as Australia. During the 1910s he began to perform more frequently in recital, usually with his accompanist and close friend Edwin Schneider, and it was as a recitalist and recording artist that he reached out to a worldwide audience. He gave his farewell performance in the Royal Albert Hall in 1938, but during the Second World War he came out of retirement to perform in support of the war effort, until poor health forced him to cease singing for good in 1943. He died at his home in Booterstown, Co. Dublin on 16th September 1945 and is buried in Deansgrange Cemetery. McCormack’s performances of Irish songs as well as popular songs of the day are legendary, and a whole genus of singer, the ‘Irish tenor’, has emerged among imitators of his style. McCormack’s uniquely expressive singing style has its roots in the nineteenth-century Italian style which he learned from Sabatini, and this coupled with his impeccable vocal technique and almost superhuman breath control made him one of the greatest singers and performing artists that the world has seen. Music lovers today are lucky to have at their disposal a wealth of recordings, meaning that the generations to come will be able to hear and enjoy McCormack’s voice. Today’s recital programme contains a survey of some of McCormack’s own favourite and most frequently performed songs, and though elements of the performance are inspired by the recorded examples left by McCormack and his pianist collaborators, this recital is not intended to be an imitation of McCormack’s performances, but rather a tribute to a great artist and unique performer. Irish-born tenor Ross Scanlon trained at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama where he was awarded the Michael McNamara Gold Medal of excellence in performance, and at the Royal Academy of Music, London. He continues his studies with Philip Doghan. At the Royal Academy of Music, his roles included Lurcanio in Ariodante, Masino in La vera costanza, Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte and Scaramuccio in Ariadne auf Naxos. Elsewhere, his roles have included Le Thérière in L’enfant et les sortlièges with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Hot Biscuit in Paul Bunyan for Welsh National Youth Opera, Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia for Irish Youth Opera, Bookkeeper in The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny for OTC, Dublin, Remendado in Carmen for Lyric Opera, Dublin, Bill in A Hand of Bridge, and Remendado in Carmen and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte for Glasthule Opera. Ross sings widely in concert, his engagements including Alexander’s Feast, Messiah and The Creation with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Messiah at the Halle Festival, Germany and at the Handel Music Festival, Dublin, and with the Irish Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as performances with choral societies throughout the UK and Ireland. Other oratorios include Britten Saint Nicholas, Dvorák Stabat Mater, Handel Alexander’s Feast and Coronation Anthems, Haydn Die Jahreszeiten, The Creation and Missa in tempore belli, Mendelssohn Elijah and St Paul, Stainer Crucifixion, Mozart Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore and Coronation Mass, Schubert Mass in B-flat, Jenkins The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, and Goodall Eternal Light: A Requiem (Irish premiere). Ross gratefully acknowledges the sponsorship and support of his studies from Matthew and Sally Ferrey, the Irish Arts Council and Wicklow County Council. David O’Shea is a first-class honours BMus graduate of the DIT Conservatory of Music, where he studied piano with Shirin Goudarzi-Tobin and Mary Lennon. He later attended the University of Cambridge and graduated with an MMus in Choral Studies. He has also studied organ with Tristan Russcher, Douglas Hollick and Colin Walsh. David has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the USA. Festival performances include Dún Laoghaire Organ Concerts, Sligo Baroque Festival, Galway Cathedral Recitals and Dudelange International Organ Festival (Luxembourg). He is in demand as a piano accompanist and continuo- player, and also presents frequent organ recitals. In August 2016 he undertakes a four-concert organ recital tour in the Midwest USA. David is musical director of the Dublin Gay Men’s Chorus and repetiteur with the Culwick Choral Society. Since 2011 he has been Organist and Director of Music of Sandford Parish Church, Ranelagh and St Philip’s Milltown, and he also sings with the choir of St Patrick’s Cathedral. He is currently a PhD student at Trinity College, Dublin, researching nineteenth-century church music. Programme I hear you calling me Charles Marshall The Salley Gardens arr. Herbert Hughes Maire my girl George B. Aitken O Mary dear arr. Edwin Schneider A brown bird singing Haydn Wood Love’s old sweet song James Lynam Molloy She is far from the land Frank Lambert Grace Frank O'Meara Roses of Picardy Haydn Wood Little Road to Bethlehem. Michael Head Silent night Traditional .
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