THE LISTENER'S GALLERY Gregory Berg 1I

Herzen Krbnelein," "Begegnung," "Die If there is anything disappointing Nacht," "Morgen." Bernstein: I Hate about this release, it is the rather Music! A Cycle of Five Kid Songs: underwhelming attention given to Ludwig's operatic career, which spanned nearly fifty years and encom- In his book Opera People, Jacobson passed all of the major companies of called Christa Ludwig "the Earth- the world and most of the century's Mother of all singers," and the moniker most important conductors and was fitting in every possible way. There singers. Unfortunately, the video legacy was the arresting beauty of the sound of Ludwig on the opera stage is ridicu- Gregory Berg itself, from its opulent depths to its lously limited for such a spectacular radiant heights. There was the reas- career, and there is not nearly as much suring strength of her technique, to choose from as one might assume to sing with ease ChristaLudwig: The Birthday Edition. which allowed her or wish. We are treated here to a de- Christa Ludwig, mezzo soprano and cli- and utter security. There was the in- lightful excerpt from Falstaff featuring nician; Stella Grigorian, mezzo soprano; tense expressiveness of her singing, Ludwig's hearty Mistress Quickly op- Valerij Serkin, tenor; Marcus Pelz, bari- wed to a disarming simplicity and di- posite the charismatic Giuseppe Taddei. tone; Charles Spencer, Sophie Raynaud, rectness which set her apart from some The picture may be a bit dim, but these piano. (ArtHaus Musik 102 147/102 of her famous contemporaries. That two veterans make the screen sizzle. 149; 116:00, 111:00) lack of pretentiousness was a hallmark The other operatic excerpt comes not of her offstage personality as well, for from a live performance, but rather Schubert: Die Winterreise: "Gute Nacht," which she was adored by fans and col- from a film of Cosifan tutte, and as a "Die Wetterfahne," "Gefror'ne Thrýnen," leagues alike. In short, Christa Ludwig momento of Ludwig's Dorabella it is "Erstarrung," "Der Lindenbaum," was everything that a professional rather irrelevant. If only we were able "Wasserfluth," "Auf dem Flusse," singer should be, and the fact that she to view complete onstage perform- "RMckblick," "Irrlicht," "Rast," was able to sing for so long with such ances of Ludwig in her greatest roles: "FrOhlingstraum," "Einsamkeit," "Die excellence is perhaps the highest trib- Octavian, the Marschallin, the Dyer's Post," "Der greise Kopf," "Die Krýhe," ute of all. Wife, Dorabella, Kundry, Brangdne, "Letzte Hoffnung," "Im Dorfe," "Der stOr- and more. It may be time to refer to Christa mische Morgen," "T7uschung," "Der Fortunately, ample video survives Ludwig's singing in past tense, but (as Wegweiser," "Das Wirtshaus," "Muth!" of Ludwig's recital work, and the per- of this writing) Christa Ludwig the hu- "Die Nebensonnen," "Der Leiermann." formances recorded for this release man being is still very much with us, "Geheimnis," "ImAbendrot," "Die Forelle," further enhance our appreciation for and this two-disk DVD has been re- "Der Tod und das Mýdchen," her mastery of the art song. She is seen leased in honor of her eightieth birth- "Sehnsucht," "Der Musensohn." Mahler: here in a complete performance of "Ich ging mit Lust," "Rheinlegendchen," day. What a splendid birthday gift this Schubert's Die Winterreise, as well as "Das irdische Leben," "Ich bin der Welt is, for it allows us to enjoy a generous in assorted songs by Mahler, Wolf, abhanden gekommen," "Scheiden und representation of Ludwig's mastery of Strauss, and Bernstein, beautifully ac- Meiden." Wolf: "Anakreons Grab," "Der the art song, two fleeting glimpses of companied at the piano by frequent GArtner," "Bedeckt mich mit Blumen," her performing opera, and most de- collaborator Charles Spencer. One mi- "In dem Schatten meiner Locken," "Mein lightfully of all, at work as a master nor regret is that these lieder recitals Liebster hat zu Tische mich geladen," class clinician. The release is enhanced were not recorded before an audience, "Du meines "Wie lange schon." Strauss: by illuminating program notes which and it contributes to a slightly "canned" include the text of a 2007 interview quality to the proceedings. The cam- journal of Singing, September/October 2008 conducted by journalist Renate era work is fairly undistinguished and Volume 65, No. 1, pp. 119-124 Burtscher that further reveals Ludwig's frustratingly distant too much of the Copyright © 2008 National Association of Teachers of Singing intelligence and grace. time in Die Winterreise,and one also

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 119 I1 Gregory Berg

wonders whose decision it was to bring To recount the high points is ulti- ing the shifting moods of the woman up crimson lighting in the background mately an exercise in happy frustra- with a playful mix of potency and un- as Ludwig sings Schubert's "Im Abend- tion, for so much of this singing is su- derstatement. Equally impressive is rot." Those concerns aside, this is a perb and in so many ways. More than what Ludwig always has been able to do superb document of Ludwig at the one critic has remarked that if there is with darker, more restrained songs like very end of her singing career. The any way in which Ludwig grew as a "Die Nacht" or "Morgen" by Strauss. voice is rich and still remarkably in- singer from the start of her career to The latter receives a performance that tegrated, and unlike other singers in its conclusion, it was in her capacity may be ever so slightly encumbered their twilight, Ludwig resists the urge to give herself over more completely by the encroachment of age, but what- to slather her performances with in- in the happy songs she sang. Certainly, ever she has lost in breath and even- she is fully persuasive in the exuber- terpretive extremes. She was always ness of tone (which is not much), she ance of Wolf's "Der Gartner" and in a singer who trusted the greatness of has more than gained back in the kind the joyous rising lines of Mahler's "Ich these songs and who approached her of depth of understanding that comes ging mit Lust" There is a smile not only only performing with a touching and all- when one has lived a long, some- on her face and in her sound, but also too-rare sense of humility. "We singers times challenging, and ultimately sat- encompassing her whole being. It is isfying life, artistically and otherwise. must never forget:' she wrote in her difficult to understand, let alone artic- The way in which she sings the word memoirs, "that we are only the ser- ulate, what Ludwig manages to achieve "stumm" over that striking ninth chord vants of the great minds who created here but it is truly remarkable. She is es- in the accompaniment seems to trans- all of the wonderful pieces of music pecially beguiling in Wolf's "In dem port her-and us-to another time and which we enjoy today:' Schatten meiner Locken" by captur- place. As impressive as the aforemen- tioned lieder recital is, many may find her performance of Die Winterreise to be even more impressive. Certainly, it is extremely rare to have a woman perform this song cycle, and the liner notes of the disk suggest that Ludwig may be only the third major female singer-after Lotte Lehmann and Elena Gerhardt-to do so. Some might argue that these texts are meant to be expressed by a male, but Ludwig states in the liner notes that these poems speak of the winter journey of a hu- man soul, and not necessarily that of a man-or of a woman, for that matter. Ludwig goes on to say that a woman is able to bring a certain perspective to matters of life, love, and death that are different from that of a man, and that is why she believes so fervently that this song cycle needs to be em- braced and performed by both men and women. Certainly, those of us who were privileged to see and hear Ludwig perform this song cycle at the Ravinia

120 JOURNAL OF SINGING The Listener's Gallery [I

Festival many years ago could not pos- ers this cycle with the same sort of most subtle sort of tweaking and pol- sibly believe that Ludwig was straying straightforward, assured confidence ishing. She is an exacting teacher, and into emotional territory beyond her and skill that has informed her career not reluctant to cut off a singer after abilities. The performance was one of every step of the way. two or three notes to reassert direc- astonishing emotional impact and the What is perhaps most treasurable tion that seems to be followed. This two minutes of silence that followed of all on these disks is the opportunity happens especially when she is after "Der Leiermann" was the equivalent they afford us to see Ludwig in action more legato singing from Ms. Grigorian of a thousand standing ovations. as a clinician in master classes filmed as she renders one of Dorabella's arias The performance captured on this in Vienna in 1999. She works through from Cosifan tutte. Her singing seems disk is powerful and expressive, al- operatic repertoire with three young at first to be perfectly legato, but as though one dearly wishes that an au- singers who were virtually unknown Ludwig works with the young mezzo dience had been present to somehow at the time: mezzo soprano Stella we realize that there are all sorts of mo- give the proceedings more of a sense Grigorian, tenor Valerij Serkin, and ments when in fact the melodic line is of a journey experienced together. baritone Marcus Pelz, and they seem not legato at all or at least not as legato Some also may be troubled by the fre- to be excited by this opportunity, en- as it can and should be. Ludwig is also quent transpositions that Ludwig em- tirely open to her guidance, but not not shy when she asked for a certain ploys to keep all of these songs in what unduly intimidated by the prospect of dynamic which a singer might deliver she refers to as her most natural reg- sharing the stage with one of the truly only to a point. Again with Ms. Grigor- ister where she would be able to de- legendary singers of the twentieth cen- ian, Ludwig demands very soft, silken liver the text most expressively. "I tury. Ludwig has a way of setting ex- singing in the opening of Carmen's wanted to make it as simple as possi- actly the right sort of tone for the pro- "Seguidilla," and every time the mezzo ble,' she states in the liner notes, and ceedings by asserting herself firmly as strays back into louder singing she is whatever one might think of that choice the person in charge, yet with an invit- stopped in her tracks. What is refresh- and its appropriateness, it seems to ing sort of warmth and charm. She is ing is Ludwig's good-natured approach have yielded rich artistic results. Inter- not shy about bestowing glowing com- to insisting on only the best that these estingly, the changes go in both direc- pliments when they are warranted, par- young singers can deliver. tions, with seven of the songs trans- ticularly when the tenor delivers two Much of what Ludwig does is very posed down and two of them actually performances that require only the basic, such as insisting that repeated transposed up; the transpositions are limited to a half or whole step. As for the performance itself, it is FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY 64e vintage Ludwig. Her sound suggests Announces Voice AuditionsforAdmissionfor the 2009-2010 Academic Year, the richness of the cello, especially in GraduateAssistantships & UndergraduateScholarships in Tallahassee,Florida those songs that probe the depths of sorrow as well as in those moments Graduate Performance Auditions* Undergraduate Voice Auditions January 23 & 24; February 6, 7, 20, & 21 January 24; February 7 & 21 when biting bitterness is needed. There is also something haunting when a Undergraduate Music Theatre Auditions voice as colorful as Ludwig's is scaled January 24, 25, & 31; February 1, 21, & 22 D)eadlil/o.ilo) ibilisionqfagraduatc -perloti iantai.t c io(D pDescreenin'( Icc 1, 2008 back to a near whisper. The opening to "Der Wegweiser" or the closing National Auditions (Dlhe. atobaweioiLcd.) phrases of "Der Leiermann" are ut- i)aIllas-Saiiiions Cenitei Chic ago -Shi'x ouciCon• (a ,rvatoir Nex %,brk(Cit% \-Irkini Hall tered with a profound, painful sense Voice p•rlOrmancc degrees include (li BIM, MIM, and I)M; Music Theatre degrees include the BM of bleakness and loss. By and large, this and the KFA (S(hool ol"healt,). Graduate degrees are also available in opera coaching, opera is a performance that is free of artifice directing, and woral accomjpanying. and of expressive surprises, save for an For specific information including admission and audition requirements, unexpectedly slow, soft approach to please visit our website at www.music.fsu.edu "Die Post." Otherwise, Ludwig deliv-

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 121 1 Gregory Berg

text be sung with some sort of varia- sense of balance here by mentioning ent skills and the likely potential of tion. She also asks the singers to per- certain names from her extraordinary each of the three young singers. On form their arias more mindful of the career, but only briefly. At the outset the other disk, the singers themselves other characters who would be with of coaching the Dorabella aria, she speak with wonderment at the privi- them, were it a fully staged perform- mentions in passing that she studied lege of working with Ludwig and of ance. This yields handsome rewards this aria with Herbert von Karajan. how difficult it is to sing to your high- with Ms. Grigorian's "Seguidilla" as Ludwig already had the credentials of est abilities under such circumstances. Ludwig reminds the young mezzo of being one of the finest Dorabellas of That they sing as well as they do is a where Don Jose is at that moment and all time, but the brief mention of the tribute to them; that they leave these of the vital importance of luring him in. name Karajan reinforces the fact that master classes as even better singers is Ludwig suggests to all three singers she is speaking from a position of ex- a tribute to their master teacher, Christa that certain moments are best ap- traordinary experience. As she works Ludwig. proached as being sung to themselves with Mr. Serkin on an aria from rather than out to the audience. Above Werther, she mentions having sung all, the cardinal sin for Ludwig is this opera opposite Franco Corelli, who ChesterBiscardi-At the Still Point. singing for the sake of lovely sounds. she says had a voice that was far too Judith Bettina, soprano; James She cares that the singing be beauti- heavy to be ideal for the role, but who Goldsworthy, piano. (CRI CD 686; ful, but not at the expense of expres- compensated with a thrilling emotional 54:00) siveness. "Otherwise" she says at one intensity. One has to appreciate point, "this just becomes an aria.' Ludwig's capacity not only to admire The Gift of Life. Traverso. Companion Some master class clinicians make those colleagues who were cut from Piece. Incitation to Desire. Mestiere. a point of keeping everything in the the same sort of artistic fabric as she Tenzone. At the Still Point. moment and refuse to engage in any was, but also her ability to admire those reminiscences from their own careers, who brought other gifts to the table. Readers of this column may recall an while others seem to spend an embar- The viewer likely will appreciate the enthusiastic recent review of a com- rassing amount of time perched on brief spoken comments that adjoin pact disk titled Songs and Encores: what so easily can become distracting each aria. On one disk these comments Recital of American Song, featuring tangents. Ludwig achieves a perfect from Ludwig summarize both the pres- Judith Bettina and James Goldsworthy. A colorful array of American song composers was represented in what amounted to tantalizing glimpses of The Institutefor Music Research & their very best work in highly persua- The Music Department, UT-San Antonio sive performances. One of the high- present lights of that disk was a haunting song called "Guru" by Chester Biscardi, The 4th Physiology and Acoustics of Singing Conference January 7-10, 2009 which surely left listeners hungry to hear more, assuming that this was their San Antonio, Texas USA initial introduction to this composer Featuredpresenters to include Ingo Titze, Lisa Popeil, Sten and his music. Ternstr6m, James Daug herty, HaraldJers In fact, Chester Biscardi has been Artist Recital by Cynthia Lawrence and Mark Calkins an intriguing and gifted voice in con- For registrationinformation, contact: temporary music for the last several John Nix, Conference Coordinator,PAS 4 several decades, and the compact disk Associate Professorof Voice and Voice Pedagogy at hand commemorates his career as The University of Texas at San Antonio [email protected] he reaches the age of sixty. Born and raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin (a city which most Americans probably as-

122 JOURNAL OF SINGING The Listener's Gallery sociate with auto plants and bratwurst the song cycle. (Biscardi related in some love as the last and, in fact, only bridge rather than the nuanced world of the correspondence that after writing his between life and death. Here, as art song), Biscardi has enjoyed a ca- opera, he found it very difficult to re- throughout the piece, Biscardi writes reer that has taken him across the globe, turn to the arena of instrumental mu- with a striking mix of sparseness and yielded him awards such as the Prix sic, although he eventually did so and warmth, and the text is treated with de Rome, and eventually brought him has gone on to craft powerful and orig- such loving care. Judith Bettina sings to the chairmanship of the music de- inal instumental works.) beautifully and Jeff Goldsworthy offers partment of Sarah Lawrence College. The song cycle was composed for sensitive accompaniment at every turn. He is probably best known not only Bettina and Goldsworthy, who per- So yet again, we are left tantalized for his art songs, but also for his su- form it here as they did for the work's by the songs of Chester Biscardi and perbly crafted instrumental chamber premiere in 1993. It begins with an hungry to hear more. May our wait be music and for piano works that seem exquisite setting of one of Emily brief. to make the piano sing in wonderful Dickinson's most tender poems, which new ways. opens this way: Biscardi has selected works for this Russell Oberlin Sings Handel Arias. Mama never forgets her birds, disk that span nearly two decades and Russell Oberlin, countertenor. Baroque Though in another tree- several genres. Fans of his vocal mu- Chamber Orchestra; Thomas Dunn, She looks down just as often sic will undoubtedly be disappointed And just as tenderly. conductor. (Deutsche Grammophon 477 that only one of the seven works gath- 6541; 47:43) ered here is for voice, but that par- Dickinson wrote this in memory of "But who may abide," "How beautiful are ticular piece is a true masterwork. an aunt who had died and likened her the feet" (Messiah); "Their land brought Moreoever, the rest of this disk offers departure from this world to a bird fly- a fascinating view of how Biscardi's ing from one tree to another, yet still forth frogs," "Thou shalt bring them in" artistic vision has shifted and grown looking down on her baby birds with (Israelin Egypo; Ah dolce nome!" (Muzio over the years, and the opportunity to concern and affection. Biscardi's sen- Scaevola); "Vivi, tirannol" "Dove sei, hear his musical voice in these various sitive treatment of this text is breath- amato bene" (Rodelinda); "Ombra cara," genres should not be missed. Some of takingly beautiful, and it draws us in- (Radamisto). the music here is easily accessible (such exorably into the rest of this work and as a tango titled "Incitation to Desire") exploration of, in Biscardi's words, Both of the aforementioned record- while other pieces like the Tenzone for "birth, life, memory, loss, death, and ings commemorate landmark birth- Two Flutes is more daringly modern. finally, love." The middle portion of the days. So does Deutsche Grammophon's Liner notes give helpful and interest- work is based on a text from Denise release on compact disk of this land- ing background information on each Levertov's Life in the Forest, a woman's mark recording of Handel arias sung and every work. thoughtful reflection on her own by countertenor Russell Oberlin. It is The vocal work is called The Gift of mother who seems about to slip away the singer's eightieth birthday which Life, and in fact is a song cycle com- from her. This text is less poetic, at least prompts this particular release, and it pleted fifteen years ago. [See also the in the conventional sense of the word, is long overdue. "Music Review" column, pp. 111- 112.] which makes it all the more challeng- To some extent, Oberlin's reputa- The composer explains in the liner ing to set to music, but Biscardi re- tion as one of the twentieth century's notes that he wrote this in the wake of sponds beautifully with music that gen- most important singers has been ill- a most satisfying collaboration with tly breathes life into the text without served by the emergence of David Henry Butler for a chamber opera ti- obscuring it. The third and final portion Daniels, a countertenor who took the tled Tight-Rope. The pleasure of work- of the text is from Thornton Wilder's world by storm with a voice and style ing with characters and plot forever The Bridge of San Luis Rey and speaks that were much more powerful and altered the way Biscardi would ap- powerfully and persuasively of the final- muscular. Many of the laudatory re- proach the task of crafting art songs ity of death and of our own eventual views of Daniels's singing drew a sharp and powerfully shaped the creation of oblivion, but also of the importance of contrast between his singing (so of-

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 123 Gregory Berg ten deemed much more "masculine") This wonderful collection of Handel strates how excitement is never borne and that of his two most famous mod- arias showcases Oberlin's many of sheer amplitude as much as it is by ern-day predecessors, Alfred Deller strengths, but especially his exceptional musical and authentic expressivity. and Russell Oberlin. According to gift for sculpting lyric lines with grace Ultimately, this release reminds all the more aggressively and carelessly and nuance. "Dove sei, amato bene" of us of something that Oberlin and written reviews, Deller and Oberlin from Rodelinda is probably the high Daniels have known all along, and were but pale, pastel precursors to point of this release. The oboe-like tim- which they stated unequivocally in a the "real thing:' which came with their bre of Oberlin's voice gives this aria a memorable dual interview for Opera gifted successor's dramatic emergence melting beauty that one scarcely can News several years ago. The truth is in the 1990s. In fact, such accounts imagine being bettered, and these wide- that countertenors should no more do a disservice to both generations. ranging melodic phrases sound almost come in one size than any other type of David Daniels is a countertenor with simple, which is a truly astounding feat. singer, and that both of these fine a truly uncommon instrument, but At the other end of the expressive spec- singers have enriched the world of mu- he is also a superlative musician ca- trum is "Their land brought forth frogs" sic immeasurably. How gratifying to pable of quite sensitive singing. from Israel in Egypt, which is exactly have this release available to the pub- Although Daniels's predecessors may the sort of energetic aria where one lic again as a testament to a truly su- not have possessed his sheer vocal might assume that the heftier sound of perb singer. heft, Oberlin especially was capable Daniels would be very much missed. of shooting off very exciting vocal Actually, Oberlin brings his own kind Gregory Berg is an Assistant Professor of Music fireworks of his own. of intensity to this aria and demon- at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisonsin, where he teaches private voice. He is Fine Arts Direc- tor for local public radio station WGTD FM 91.1, for which he hosts a daily classical music pro- Resonance InSinging gram, "The Music Potpourri," and a daily inter- view program Voice Building through Acoustic Feedback Discount called "The Morning Show." A by Donald Gray Miller pncing available church organist since the age of eight, he serves on special academic Holy Communion Lutheran Church as Minister ith full version of VoceVista-Pro voice analysis editions of both tls for of Music. He graduated from Luther College software for PC, plus extensive multimedia student use inclassroom (Decorah, Iowa) in 1982 and earned his mas- support for Macintosh and PC or studio (see website for info) ter's degree in vocal performance from the Miller has created a dstinctive multimedia tool that aligns the disciplines of voice pedagogy and voice science through The generationsof voice teachers who cut their University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During his un- eChristopherArheson pedagogicteeth on books with grainy black and white dergraduate and graduate years, he earned four Westminster College of the Arts images will marvel at the breadth and clarity of this teaching package. -Debra Greschner, Journalof Singing first-place finishes in state and regional NATS A systematic approach like the one I competitions; he also won first place inthe Dis- presented here can prevent people trict Metropolitan Opera Auditions and was an fromexploring methods that Your Voice: An Inside View simply cannot work. Multimedia Voice Science and Pedagogy apprentice with the prestigious Lyric Opera Cen- -Paul Kiesgen ter forAmerican Artists in Chicago. Since mov- Indiana University by Sc oft MaCoy // ing to southeastern Wisconsin, Berg has been an New! Version 2.0, with improved K ,I active soloist with area orchestras and wind audio and video examples for Macintosh and PC computers ensembles. He is also a composer of church visit www.VoicelnsideView.com for info &orders music with two contemporary liturgies and three commissioned hymns to his credit.

124 JOURNAL OF SINGING COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

TITLE: The Listener’s Gallery SOURCE: J Singing 65 no1 S/O 2008

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