Feminine Fusion

April 16, 2017: Men’s Songs, Women’s Voices

by Diane Jones

April 19, 2017

Audra MacDonald & Nina Simone

“The human voice is the most beautiful instrument of all, but it is the most difficult to play.” – Richard Strauss

There are times in music that a woman’s voice must deliver the soul and beauty of a work. On this episode, compositions by men that are brought to life by a woman. It may be delivered by a fictional character, or written by a poet, but each work is beautiful in its own right.

“Men’s Songs, Women’s Voices”

George Gershwin: My Man’s Gone Now
Audra MacDonald, soprano
San Francisco Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
“George Gershwin: The 100th Birthday Celebration”
Sony Classical

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen
Roberta Peters, soprano
Berline Philharmonic; Karl Böhm, conductor
“The 50 Greatest Opera Pieces”
U-5 Recordings

Franz Schubert: Heiss mich nicht redden
Benita Valente, soprano; Cynthia Raim, piano
“Benita Valente, Volume 2”
Bridge Records

Franz Schubert: So lässt mich scheinen
Elisabeth Schumann, soprano; Gerald Moore, piano
“Elisabeth Schumann sings Schubert & R. Strauss Lieder:
EMI Records

Franz Schubert: Nur wer die Sehnsucht Kent
Dawn Upshaw, soprano; Richard Goode, piano
“Goethe Lieder”
Nonesuch

Erich Korngold: Unvergänglichkeit
Georgine Resnick, soprano; Warren Jones, piano
“Men’s Songs, Women’s Voices”
Bridge Records

Aaron Copland: 12 Poems of Emily Dickinson (selections)
Marni Nixon, soprano
Pacific Symphony Orchestra; Keith Clark, conductor
Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite”
Reference Recordings

George Gershwin: My Man’s Gone Now
Nina Simone
“Nina Simone Sings the Blues”
RCA

Run time: 58:30

Feminine Fusion highlights the roles of women in classical music. Host Diane Jones brings you stories and music of the women who create, perform, and inspire. Produced in the studios at WCNY-FM.