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Sparks & Wiry Cries
We are now available for subscription on itunes! Search under 'Sparks and Wiry Cries' to subscribe or 'Martha Guth' or 'Erika Switzer'. This means you can have SWC downloaded to you without ever thinking about it...automatic song happiness.
Sparks and Wiry cries is back for more!
The newest Episode:
The Beginning of Season Three- Dichterliebe.
Welcome back to Sparks and Wiry Cries. This season, we are going to switch it up quite a bit. SWC is undergoing a transformation over the next few months and this will be the last podcast for a little while. But never fear...better and bigger things are on the horizon for this podcast and Sparks and Wiry Cries in general. Please stay tuned and stay with us through the 'construction zone'. While you are waiting for the big announcement though we have a fabulous podcast to send your way. This month we are featuring the return of Musicologist Dr. Benjamin Binder who marvelously unravels the story of Schumanns' Dichterliebe. The incomparable Gerald Finley and Julius Drake are performing. What could be better than that?
Season 3, Episode 1
Dichterliebe
Season 2 Episode 7
Stephen Paulus
We love him! Here we sit down with the composer for a discussion of his music and one of his wonderful song cycles.
performers are Donna Lowey and Andrew Garland
Season 2, Episode 6
Goethe and Deen Larsen
The enigmatic and wonderful Deen Larsen, founder of the Franz Schubert Institute in Baden-bei-Wien talks to us today about Goethe and Schuberts' Heidenroeslein. Performers are the incomparable duo Elly Ameling and Dalton Baldwin. You know they are the real thing when they have their own Wikipedia entry folks!
Season 2, Episode 5
The end of Napoleons reign and the birth of the Biedermeier era and culture brought about many things, including -in a round about way- the birth of the Song salon. Musicologist Ben Binder discusses why the politics of the time created an atmosphere where people were comfortable to be themselves only at home and why Schubert mattered so much to them.
Songs:
Nacht und Traume
Der Wanderer
Der Juengling und der Tod
Aufleosung
Performers for this episode are listed below. As always, a youtube or a google search can also provide many hours of entertainment from these artists...yes, even in the world of Classical song.
Season 2, Episode 4
Just in time for Christmas, we have a performance of Benjamin Brittens' 'Jouney of the Magi'. This is his Canticle No. 4. We also take a look at the extraordinary canticle No. 2, 'Abraham and Isaac'. These wonderful and dramatic pieces of music are performed through Toronto's Aldeburgh Connection Recital series and recording label. This recital series brings young performers, seasoned performers and the two brillant pianists who run it together for performances that have been beloved by audiences for many years.
Stephen Ralls
Brice Ubukata
Daniel Taylor
Benjamin Butterfield
Season 2, Episode 3
O Viva Rosa
This episode features the talents of phenomenal Soprano Shannon Mercer and her 'band': Luc Beausejour on harpsichord and organ, Sylvain Bergeron on lute, guitar and theorbo and Amanda Keesmaat on cello, performing songs of Francesca Caccini. We are talking renaissance Florence, Italy and the Medici Family...great stuff folks!
Sylvain Bergeron
Amanda Keesmat
Season 2, Episode 2
This episode features the talents of Canadian Music Greats: Tenor Jon Vickers and Contralto Maureen Forrester. They are performing music of Canadian composers Jean Coulthard and Srul Irving Glick. If you would like to read more of the interview between Jon Vickers and award winning broadcaster Bruce Duffie which was quoted with his permission, please go to his website:
www.bruceduffie.com
His site is chock-full of interesting information so make sure you take time to look around.
Season 2, Episode 1
Our second season begins with a look at the CD 'Summer Schemes' Produced by Canadian Baritone Peter McGillivray and Pianist Liz Upchurch. We listen to songs of Peter Warlock, Ivor Gurney and Gerald Finzi on this disc: perfect for the end of the summer season.
Liz Upchurch
Previous Episodes:
VISI 2010
This episode is centered around the Vancouver International Song Insititute. This is a fabulous program headed by artistic director Rena Sharon in the stunning city of Vancouver, Canada. VISI, centered on the campus of the University of British Columbia, is a two and a half week intensive program in June for college level performers/students of classical song, pedagogues, and musicologists. VISI also includes a beloved performance festival in venues all around the city of Vancouver with an intensive season during the institute.
This episode we feature the stylings of world renowned collaborators and teachers: Soprano Tracy Dahl with Pianist Margo Garrett, and Baritone Francois LeRoux with Pianist Mickhail Hallack. Songs of John Greer, Robert Fleming and Claude Debussy.
Margo Garrett
Composer Libby Larsen
In this episode we have the pleasure of hearing an interview with the extraordinary American composer Libby Larsen. We also take an in depth look at her often-performed cycle 'Try me good king', five songs set to the last words of five of the six wives of Henry the VIIIth.
The Ballads of Carl Loewe
In this episode Bass Baritone Shenyang and Pianist Vlad Iftinca perform three ballads from their Alice Tully Hall Recital in NYC. Beautiful collaboration, impeccable musicianship and exciting storytelling bring these fanciful tales to life. One depicts Goethe's fateful Elf-King who brings about the demise of all who see him, another falls in love with the queen of the fairies, and a third ends up the blacksmith for the Norse God Odin who is off to fight in Battle.
This latest episode centers around American composer Tom Cipullo. We interviewed him at his home in Long Island City and also present four of his songs. Special thanks to the Albany label for their generous permission to have Paul Sperry's fabulous rendition of 'Reasons why I don't keep a gun in the house' aired today on the podcast.
Anthony Mcgee
Donna Loewy
Viva Espana!
This most recent episode features the beautiful, passionate and lyrical songs from Spain. Join us as we explore the music of Turina, de Falla, and Montsalvatge. Guest speaker and opera singer Ricardo Lugo gives us our much needed Spanish lessons along the way.
AND -check out a search for 'Cante jondo' excerpts on youtube...it's worth it!
Jo Greenaway
Christa Mayer
Hugo Wolf!
We continue on with more form the big German song composers. This songcast is dedicated to the tormented genius of Hugo Wolf. Not known far outside the world of 'Art song', this composer was a master of the miniature and dedicated much of his compositional efforts to classical song. We explore four of his songs with poetry by two greats: Goethe and Moerike. Enjoy!
Keun-A Lee, Piano
Frederique Vezina, Soprano
Shenyang, Bass-Baritone
Vlad Iftinca, Piano
Valentines Day
This episode is dedicated to the ones we love, near and far. We are listening to songs by Hugo Wolf, Johannes Brahms, Gabriel Faure, Franz Schreker, and Sergei Rachmaninov.
Goetz Payer
Debra Stanley
Michael guido
Joseph Kaiser
Stefani Iranyi
Performers for our Schubert Podcast:
David Santos
Thomas Wija
The great passion in my career is the world of classical song. Renowned pianist Erika Switzer and I will co-host the upcoming episodes. We will look at song in a different light that will air every other week. Each podcast will be centered around a theme, and include live recordings spanning Mozart to the present day. We will also have the pleasure of including interviews with composers, musicologists and poets whose voices add a meaningful dimension to our conversations about song and performance. This podcast offers favorite repertoire, performed by ourselves and the many wonderful colleagues we have the pleasure to work with. This new generation of song singers have won international awards for excellence in their field and are currently performing in all corners of the globe. My hope is that this venue has the intimacy that the first composers of song originally had in mind, and that what has been delighting us on the concert stage can now be enjoyed in your living room. -Please enjoy! Special thanks to Matthew Principe for his commitment and enthusiasm as producer and Matt Galek for his invaluable help with this project.
Episode 12:
For more information on the performers of 'Hollydaze' please see the list below.
Steven Dann
Episode 11:
For more information on the performers of the Francis Poulenc songcast, see the links below. Debra and Michael's recordings were made in the Velte-Saal at the Hochscule fur Musik in Karlsruhe, April 21st, 2009. Claire and Marc's performance was recorded in October of 2002.
Michael Guido
Debra Stanley
Claire Booth
Episode 10:
Information for 'Waves of Destruction':
The recording of Jena Osman reading her poem was used with the kind permission of the people from Pennsound, and Ms. Osman herself. Thank-you! This is an extraordinary website dedicated to cataloging spoken poetry in digital form, available to the public for their own use. The Recording of 'Target' performed by Laurie Rubin was recorded in April of 2007 with the L.A. based group EAR Unit.
Chris DeBlasio