Song of the week: By a Bierside (I. Gurney) - S. Connolly, M. Martineau
When I got the program of Sarah Connolly and Malcolm Martineau's recital at the Schubertiade Vilabertran, my eyes just saw one name: Ivor Gurney. Neither Schubert nor Schumann not even Britten. Gurney. I was really excited because I was about to be the first time that I heard his songs in a recital, as I only did in recordings before. I explained to everybody who wanted to hear that there were Gurney's songs at the SV15 and I shared one of them with you. Connolly and Martineau's recital was excellent and according to the audience comments, the winner of that night was ... Gurney! I told you, it was worth listening to his songs...
The song of our previous post, Heiß mich nicht reden, closes the book V of Goethe's novel. Mignon sings it after saying goodbye to Wilhelm, who goes on a trip to fulfill Aurelie’s last will: to deliver to Lothario (her old sweetheart) a letter she wrote him shortly before her death. However, the novel doesn't resume its main plot, instead, the reader finds a text that the narrator has already anticipated. You might remember a doctor who visits Aurelie shortly before her death; he finds her so upset that he sends her a manuscript written by a friend recently deceased, hoping that reading would calm her down. Aurelie reads it and, in fact, she feels better and spends her last days in peace.
A couple of years ago, I was moved when a reader who had been lucky enough to listen to Fritz Wunderlich at a concert hall, told me how much his death had impressed her, her incredulity when she heard that unexpected news on the radio. Many of us have known him only through his recordings, enough to fall in love with his voice and his singing. With regard to his personality, I might have an idealized overview but according to people who knew him, pictures and videos, I get the image of a charismatic man who irradiates happiness. This approachable image might help to encourage our fondness for him; many of us think often about him, especially around his death anniversary. Last Thursday was his 49th anniversary and this week, like every year, we're dedicating an special post to him.
Next December 8th marks 150 years of the birth of Jean Sibelius and that's why the classical music world is celebrating, in 2015, the Year of Sibelius. This kind of commemorations are mainly to promote the work of the honoree, but in this occasion, I’ll also take full advantage of the celebration of the Finnish composer, at least with regard to his songs. I wonder why I don't usually listen to this composer’s songs whose symphonic music I like so much. I suppose that, as in other cases, it's due to the language barrier. Not because I don't know any single word in Swedish (I use translations, as with so many languages) but because it's a minority language that few singers are able to speak (and therefore to sing). I think I've never heard a song by Sibelius in a recital and as for recordings, there aren't that many either. This year, fortunately, things are changing a little thanks to his [...].
