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Home , Birgit Nilsson, Nina Stemme

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poetry recited by the poet rather than The third work at hand turns out The disk opens and closes with mu- sung, and there is much to learn from to be the least effective, at least as it is sic from two of the twentieth century’s a careful comparison of these three presented here. Unlike the two pieces most important composers. Aaron works and how they are rendered. already discussed, Marilyn Biery’s Copland’s “As It Fell Upon a Day,” a Cornelius Boot’s Dream of Wheat “Provincetown, August” has the po- rarely heard gem that the composer is a setting of five excerpts from etry recited over a musical backdrop in wrote in the early 1920s while study- Encyclopedia of the Wheat by Jeffrey the manner of the classic melodrama. ing in Paris and delving into neoclas- Bean. These are offbeat, whimsical Unfortunately, poet Terry Blackhawk sicism for the first time. The piece is musings on wheat and some of its recites her wonderful text in a stiff, vintage Copland in terms of its expert most remarkable qualities, and the wooden fashion that feels very unmu- craftsmanship. The disk finishes out composer taps into that sense of play sical and emotionally unpersuasive. with ’s Three Songs perfectly. The poet reads each of these Perhaps it is sacrilege to voice such from William Shakespeare, one of the excerpts before the two wind instru- criticism about a poet reading her own works in which the composer began to ments embark on what feels like their work, and perhaps she was reciting it experiment with the tenets of serialism own playful commentary on what has in this fashion to make some sort of in the early 1950s. This may be the just been said. The music feels utterly interpretive point, but in the context most pungently dissonant music on the disk, yet these songs are remark- fresh and new and it leaves us hungry of Biery’s lovely, lyric score it simply ably attractive and vocally gratifying. to hear more from this composer. By does not work. the way, Bean’s text is included in There is nothing quite like the spe- Biery’s other work on this disk, its entirety beyond what is included cial chemistry between musicians who “Protea, in Venice,” is one of the most in the work, and one can hope that are also friends, and that collaborative striking pieces in this collection, and the composer might set more of this warmth is at the heart of these impres- its haunting beauty derives in large fascinating text. sive performances by musicians who measure from the composer’s as- David Biedenbender’s “Staying are or have been faculty colleagues at sured instincts for crafting expressive the Night” follows a roughly similar Central Michigan University. Mezzo and singable melodic lines that mesh format but toward a vastly different Tracy Watson and soprano seamlessly with the woodwind lines. expressive end. Robert Fanning’s Elissa Johnston sing with unfailing The supple piano accompaniment heart-breaking poem springs from musicality and technical poise, no lends support without needlessly the real life tragedy of his sister’s matter how difficult the music. Flutist death and what it felt like for him and intruding into the central texture of Joanna Cowan and clarinetist Kennen his family to enter her home and see voice and winds. Terry Blackhawk’s White are exactly the kind of sensitive and touch what had belonged to her. enigmatic text is beautifully served collaborators that this sort of reper- “We’re the guests of someone gone,” both by this setting and by this per- toire requires. Pianist Mary Jo Cox the poet muses, and the stark simplic- formance. Jay Batzner’s “Word of the and violist Takeshi Abo complete the ity and directness of the text ushers us Day” is scored just for voice, clarinet circle with their own valuable contri- right into the heart of his grief. Once and flute, but the spare texture is ideal butions. Full texts are included along the text has been recited, the flute and for Joanna White’s intriguing text and with introductory notes on each piece. clarinet respond in an unaccompanied gives it new life. Perhaps most impres- duet that seems to represent the two sive of all is Lester Trimble’s setting of four extended passages from The siblings in widely varied textures; Birgit Nilsson: A League of Her Canterbury Tales. Putting the words sometimes they move in spare, par- Own: A Documentary by Thomas of Chaucer to music presents all sorts allel lines, while at other times they Voigt and Wolfgang Wunderlich. are intersecting each other with tight of challenges, but Trimble manages to (Unitel 800008; 89:00) intricacy. The moods swing wildly as keep the words remarkably clear and well, from playful joy to searing pain discernible. His choice to use harpsi- The ferocious wave of enthusiasm and everything in between before set- chord is an inspired one and it has the around the centennial of Leonard tling into a reflective final coda. It is a effect of taking us into a completely Bernstein has had the unintended ef- remarkable work. different musical place. fect of diverting attention from other

January/February 2019 381 Gregory Berg significant landmarks, including the “This is your life” that was done when though it were a dress tailored specifi- centennial of Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson had become world famous. cally for her; she also cites him as the Nilsson, one of the most important At one point in the program the host first director that made her feel like singers of the twentieth century. announces to Nilsson that they have she was a great actress. (One can only She was a towering colossus among managed to find and transport to the wish that more of today’s opera direc- the singers of her Fach, and during studio the old pump organ she played tors would aspire to do the same for her prime years there was no other in the family home during her child- the singers with whom they work.) It singer in the world who was more hood. She is thrilled by the surprise is in this same interview that Nilsson indispensable in the heroic reper- and proceeds to sing a folksong while spells out what was at the heart of toire in which she specialized. It was accompanying herself on the organ, her dislike of the legendary Herbert simply unthinkable for most major vigorously pumping the pedals as she von Karajan. She calls him a great opera houses to mount major works plays. The sight of this renowned op- musician but a small human being of Wagner or Strauss without vying era star (by this point in time a major because of his arrogant insistence on for Ms. Nilsson to lead the cast. Sadly, artist at and beyond) taking controlling every aspect of his produc- too many young singers and music such delight in this old pump organ tions, seemingly oblivious to his own students today have no idea who Birgit tells us all we really need to know limitations. One has to appreciate how Nilsson was or the sterling standard about Nilsson and what was most carefully Nilsson outlines the basis of of excellence that she represented for important to her. It is a delicious and her criticism as well as the genuine several generations of opera fans. This touching moment. sadness with which she voices it. This marvelous documentary film is a ter- Once the film reaches the years of is not a matter of a superstar grousing rific way for the uninitiated to learn Nilsson’s emergence on the world about a competitor and taking plea- what all of the fuss was about, while scene, the story is told with impres- sure in doing so; rather, this is the case those of us who are already fans of this sive depth and detail, thanks to a of a thoughtful artist talking about artist can be reminded of what made combination of performance clips, another artist with honesty, fairness, her great, and simultaneously learning interview excerpts, and spoken trib- and exceptional insight. a great deal about the woman behind utes from a number of her admirers Performance clips are generously Brünnhilde’s breastplate. and/or colleagues. It is the interview sprinkled throughout the film, and Many fans will appreciate how excerpts that are the most enlighten- they offer up a feast of great singing. briskly the film moves into the prime ing, and they are drawn from at least Sadly, no footage seems to exist of years of the soprano’s career, but seven different sources and range from Nilsson onstage as Brünnhilde, but at more time could have been taken the height of her fame to a decade least there is the BBC footage taken at to explore her early life and those after her retirement from the stage. the recording of Götterdämmerung forces that helped shape her into the Nilsson is unfailingly charming and with the Philharmonic and peerless artist she was to become. It good humored, but she is also incisive, Sir . One wishes that much is not that these matters are ignored, forthright, and articulate. She is in more of this footage had been used but they could have been discussed especially good form in a three way here because it represents some of more thoroughly. It is also regrettable interview that featured her, Astrid the finest singing of Nilsson’s entire that the film includes no samples of Varnay, and Martha Mödl, three of career. Strangely, the documentary Nilsson’s singing from the years be- the finest Wagnerian of includes no footage—only stills—from fore she achieved international fame. the century. (This interview is well the NHK telecast of Recordings exist of her singing from worth seeking out and watching in in Tokyo, in which Nilsson and her as early as 1948, but their omission its entirety.) It is here that Nilsson most frequent Tristan, Wolfgang from the film means that the viewer pays eloquent homage to Wieland Windgassen, offer up golden age can only imagine what the singing of Wagner, perhaps the most gifted and singing in a scaled down version of the young Birgit Nilsson sounded like. influential opera stage director of his ’s Bayreuth staging. This is a shame. The closest we come time. Nilsson describes how thrilling it There are several concert highlights is in a delightful excerpt from what was to have the role of Isolde molded that are tremendously exciting, plus appears to be a Swedish version of to her particular gifts and abilities as excerpts from two different

382 Journal of Singing Listener’s Gallery telecasts; one is a tantalizing snippet insights are shared by the legendary (swapping Leontyne from Swedish telecast of Nilsson’s very , who sang Brangäne Price with in a story first performance of the opera while to Nilsson’s Isolde on many occa- about the Met’s Centennial Gala) the other is a Met telecast from fif- sions. She helps us to better appreci- that should have been caught by the teen years later, in which the soprano ate the Swedish soprano’s astonish- filmmakers and edited out of the film. is decidedly past her prime, yet still ing consistency even while singing Fortunately, the blemishes are minor remarkably impressive. We also see a some of the most difficult roles in and vastly outweighed by all that is few moments from an Italian televi- the repertoire. TV producer Brian right about this film. Those wonderful sion production of Puccini’s Large, stage director Otto Schenk, moments include a touching reminis- in which Nilsson is lip syncing to a tenor Placido Domingo, and con- cence by Rutbert Reisch, president of prerecorded soundtrack; it is better ductor offer up their the Birgit Nilsson Foundation, under than nothing, but one can only wish own reminiscences about working whose auspices this film was made. that there was video of Nilsson live on- with Nilsson. , perhaps In 1968, Resich was one of three stage in perhaps her greatest role. One the leading Wagnerian soprano of young opera fans from the standing of the most intriguing performance the current day, shares a story about room section of the Vienna State excerpts is from a 1964 meeting her legendary idol, and tenor Opera who presented Nilsson with a concert in which we hear her sing the rightly lauds Nilsson beautiful ring that they and their fel- treacherously difficult final measures for wielding her enormous voice with low fans designed and purchased as a of “O patria mia” from Verdi’s . such accuracy and musicality, thanks gesture of gratitude and admiration Earlier in this same concert, Nilsson to her peerless vocal technique. Plenty for the soprano’s many brilliant per- had blown the roof off of the audito- of singers can sing loudly, explains formances in Vienna. That backstage rium with a stunning performance of Kaufmann, but Nilsson’s greatness presentation was caught on film, as “Ozean, du Ungeheuer” from Weber’s was about so much more than mere was a moment later that night when that generated a gigantic ova- decibels. she greets some of those same fans to tion. The Aida aria garnered much There are plenty of things to quibble thank them for their lovely generos- more muted and even tepid applause about in this film, including an odd ity. Fifty years after the fact, as Reisch by comparison, despite Nilsson’s ad- and unpleasant digression on how describes the thrill of seeing Nilsson mirable performance of it. In an odd Nilsson’s Decca recordings failed to wearing that ring during that night’s precursor to what occurs in Met HD do her justice. It’s clear from the liner performance of Tristan und Isolde, simulcasts, Nilsson walks off the stage notes by Thomas Voigt, one of the he begins to cry. It is a breathtaking and is immediately confronted by an filmmakers, that he very much believes moment that speaks volumes about interviewer’s microphone and is asked this to be the case, but there are plenty the overwhelming impact that Nilsson if such concerts make her nervous. of us who own and love these record- had on the operatic public of her day Nilsson’s answer includes a reference ings who would vehemently disagree. and of how much we owe to artists of to the bewilderment that a singer feels There is also a whopper of a mistake by such unsurpassed greatness. when they think they have sung well but are rewarded with only respectful applause. It is a stunningly human ANNIVERSARY FACTOID moment in which we are reminded At the 1951 Chicago NATS Convention, Walter Stults first began the of how even the most accomplished ceremony of the passing of the gavel. He had carved the gavel in 1900 and confident superstar is still a vul- from a tree or block of wood that had some significance to him at the nerable human being with feelings of time. Thus, when presented to President Homer Mowe at the beginning inadequacy and hurt just like the rest of the business meeting, it was already 51 years old. Since Stults was of us experience. the incoming president, the passing of the gavel that took place near the The film also features eloquent close of that meeting resulted in considerably merriment. testimony from an array of her admir- Harvey Ringle, History of the National ers, which even include a couple of Association of Teachers of Singing, 33. her collaborators. The most valuable

January/February 2019 383