DE 3410 New Love Must Rise Selected Songs of Margaret Ruthven Lang (1867-1972) Volume II
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DE 3410 New Love Must Rise Selected Songs of Margaret Ruthven Lang (1867-1972) Volume II Donald George, tenor Lucy Mauro, piano The Garden 1. On an April Apple Bough (1:44) 2. Before My Lady’s Window, Op. 19, No. 4 (1:45) 3. In the Greenwood, Op. 19, No. 2 (1:18) 4. In a Garden (2:28) 5. The Bird, Op. 40, No. 3 (2:32) 6. Nameless Pain (2:07) 7. Northward, Op. 37, No. 6 (1:20) 8. My Garden, Op. 28, No. 3 (2:00) 9. I Knew the Flowers Had Dreamed of You (2:04) The Twilight 10. Song in the Songless, Op. 38, No. 4 (3:46) 11. In the Twilight (1:33) 12. An Even Psalm, Op. 46, No. 1 (3:30) Nonsense Rhymes and Pictures, 13. The Harbor of Dreams, Op. 7, No. 3 (2:26) opp. 42 and 43 (Edward Lear) 14. In the Night, Op. 39, No. 3 (2:33) 15. There was an old Man of Dumbree (1:12) 16. There was a Young Lady in blue (:51) 17. There was a Young Lady of Parma (2:33) 18. The was an Old Person of Jodd (1:38) 19. There was a Young Lady in white (1:38) 20. There was a Young Lady whose eyes (1:30) Carol Rosenberger Delos Executive Producer: Tomorrow and a Lullaby Recorded: September 19-20, 2009, Bloch Hall, West Virginia University 21. To-Morrow, Op. 39, No. 7 (2:02) Recording Engineer 22. Lydia, Op. 32, No. 2 (2:28) and Co-Producer: Mark Benincosa, II 23. A Thought, Op. 37, No. 1 (1:43) Producers: Donald George and Lucy Mauro 24. Lied der Nebenbuhlerin (2:56) Piano Technician: Tim Richards 25. Lament, Op. 6, No. 3 (2:42) Piano: Steinway 26. An Irish Mother’s Lullaby, Op. 34 (3:42) Special thanks to Dr. Judith Cline, Dr. Fletcher DuBois and Mr. Jim Johnston for their 27. Night, Op. 7, No. 1 (2:14) invaluable assistance with this recording. Total Playing Time: 58:34 7 & W 2012 Delos Productions, Inc., P.O. Box 343, Sonoma, California 95476-9998 (707) 996-3844 • Fax (707) 320-0600 • (800) 364-0645 • Made in USA • www.delosmusic.com NOTES ON THE PROGRAM “Personally, I see in Miss Lang’s compositions such a depth of psychology that I our first volume, “Love is Everywhere” (DE 3407), as rendered by her most excellent place the general quality of her work above that of any other woman composer … champions: tenor Donald George and pianist Lucy Mauro, who are on an ardent mis- it is so sincere, so true to the underlying thought, that it seems to me to have an sion to revive her wonderful music and restore her to her rightful niche in the Pan- unusual chance of interesting attention and stirring emotions increasingly with theon of American musical history. the years.” — Rupert Hughes in Contemporary American Composers, 1900 Margaret was born into a socially and musically prominent Boston family; the oldest of the three children of Benjamin Johnson Lang (“B. J.”) and Frances Morse Burrage Lang. The historical importance of composer Margaret Ruthven Lang (1867-1972) is far B. J., who was in the thick of Boston’s incredibly fertile musical culture, was one of the greater than most knowledgeable music lovers realize. Indeed, this self-effacing and city’s most accomplished and versatile musicians (pianist, organist, composer, conduc- diminutive woman scored a major musical milestone: her two early concert over- tor and teacher). He had finished his own musical training in Germany – where he tures were the first works by a female composer to be performed by major American studied with Liszt, befriended Wagner, and became acquainted with many of Europe’s orchestras, in an era of near-complete male dominance of musical culture (and soci- most famous musicians. Frances, a gifted vocalist, was a fixture in Boston’s Parlor (or ety in general). In April of 1893, her Dramatic Overture was delivered by the Boston “Salon”) circuit: the series of revolving Symphony; her Witichis Overture was performed by members of the Chicago Sym- in-home musical soirées offering phony the following year, during that city’s 1893 World’s Fair. chamber or vocal music – affairs that, as in Europe, were then the primary How sad that we will probably never hear these works, nor any of her later creations musical outlets for upper-crust with orchestra. None of them were ever published, and Lang herself is believed to women. Like any high-born girl-child have destroyed the original scores, probably after she stopped composing in 1919 – in Boston, Margaret (nicknamed “Mai- for reasons that remain unclear. So far as we know, she never composed another note die” – and later, “Blossy”) was ex- during the remainder of her 104-year lifespan, remaining musically active only as a pected to have certain “womanly” listener and otherwise devoting her time to church work. Scholars of her life and musical skills (voice, piano) as part of music surmise that her motivations were far more complex than the simple answer her overall suitability for a proper she gave in an interview (on the occasion of her hundredth birthday): “Why did I upper-class marriage – which, in her stop? I had nothing to say.” But we know that her orchestral music must have been case, never happened. rather good, as even the crustiest of her largely misogynistic critics were inspired to Boston, c. 1900 admit to her indisputable talents and craftsmanship – even while disparaging B. J. immediately picked up on his women’s musical abilities in general. And this was quite a coup, at a time when the precocious daughter’s talents, and intellectual and creative abilities of women were largely scorned. saw to it that she began her training early, and in earnest: she studied with Boston’s finest musicians (B. J. knew them all). Add to that her musically rich home environ- Whatever her reasons, there remains only faint hope that these works will ever be ment, and Maidie’s abilities quickly blossomed. Over the years, the Langs opened heard again – unless scores or orchestral parts eventually turn up in some attic, their home to a parade of visiting European musical notables – like Antonin Dvor ˇák archive or library. All we have from her are her published works, all from her con- and (piano legend) Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Her pianistic skills were particularly re- siderable output of art songs for piano and voice. Of the (at least) 160 songs she is be- fined – and, encouraged by both parents, she began composing at age twelve. lieved to have written, 130 were published during her lifetime. A number of her choral works, orchestrated song arrangements and piano pieces are being restored Bucking the prevailing notion that advanced training in music theory, counterpoint and assembled for planned future recordings. This release is the second Volume of and orchestration was wasted on women, B. J. – upon realizing his daughter’s gift for an ongoing series from Delos recording Lang’s music for the first time. It is likely composition – had her trained in such disciplines, even sending her to Munich, Ger- that you are reading these notes after being captivated by the quality of her songs in many in 1886. By virtue of her father’s many European connections, she studied violin and counterpoint there with prestigious teachers – though privately; women were ing (especially in Munich), she was no doubt exposed to the European masters of the then denied admission to leading conservatories in both Europe and America. Upon Lied – composers like Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Wolf, et al – and her return, she continued her studies with the likes of George Chadwick and John probably picked up some tricks from each of them. But in spite of her European in- Knowles Paine. By contrast, fellow Bostonian (and family friend) Amy Beach – whose fluences, Lang managed to make something distinctly American of her craft. The fol- fame eventually outstripped Margaret’s by far – re- lowing paragraphs will spare you individual analyses ceived precious little advanced training: her husband of all 27 songs in this volume, in favor of discussing wouldn’t permit it, though he allowed her to compose. some of Lang’s major themes, forms and characteristics while pointing out representative examples of each. The Langs’ progressive attitude regarding the musical role of women is further underscored by the fact that Lang’s wide-ranging choice of poets affirms that she two of the music world’s leading female musical pio- had a good “nose” for some of the finest poetry of neers were guests in the Lang home. Ethel Smyth was her day. But, as a true child of her time, both her cho- England’s ground-breaking woman composer (and sen lyrics and music indulged in the kind of stilted, gadfly suffragette), and violinist Camilla Urso was a yet ultra-sentimental Victorian qualities that were prominent advocate of women’s professional involve- fashionable in the late nineteenth century – which is ment in music. Given her parents’ liberal convictions one reason why her creations fell into neglect as the and the happy fact that they were in a financial posi- world barreled into a very different twentieth cen- tion to back them up, it should come as no surprise tury. Donald George, our tenor in this album, speaks that young Margaret was probably the best-trained of a kind of “Boston Reserve” to her treatment of American woman composer of her day. texts – a quality that was quite typical of her day.