Notes and Editorial Reviews
Jack Beeson writes: "This selection of 26 songs (and two arias from operas) comprises about a third of my works for solo voice and piano and most of those written for soprano. The poetry dates from the end of the 16th century to the late 20th century and encompasses a wide variety of styles and subject matter. In order to reflect this variety, the music ranges widely in style, from the simplicities of the Blake settings to the 12-tone serialism of Fire, Fire, Quench Desire. Hughes's black-magic Death by Owl-Eyes invokes a traversal of musical idioms from early Renaissance open fifths to some of the habits of the 1960s. The song is dedicated to Otto Luening, another 20th century time-traveler. It is often forgotten that a musical setting is
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an arrangement of a poem: it is the composer's interpretation of the words, made audible by means of his or her choice of pitch, tessitura, accentuation, and phrasing in the vocal line, and choice of style, mood, and implied action in the accompaniment. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Lyrics (6) by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1952; USA
2.
Millay Sonnets (2) by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1992; USA
3.
Songs (5) by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1946/1950; USA
4.
Blake Songs (3) by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1945/1951; USA
5.
Lizzie Borden: Margret's Garden by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1965; New York, USA
6.
From a Watchtower by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1976; USA
7.
The You Should of Done it Blues by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1971; USA
8.
Dr. Heidegger's Fountain of Youth: The Widow's Waltz by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Angela Brown (Soprano),
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1978; USA
9.
Death by Owl-Eyes by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Angela Brown (Soprano),
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1971; USA
10.
Eldorado by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
11.
Fire, Fire, Quench Desire by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1959; USA
12.
Cat! by Jack Beeson
Performer:
Dixie Ross Neill (Piano),
Angela Brown (Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1979; USA
Sound Samples
6 Lyrics: No. 1. Dream-Pedlary
6 Lyrics: No. 3. Who Sighs that All Dies?
6 Lyrics: No. 4. The Moon
6 Lyrics: No. 6. The Conclusion
2 Millay Sonnets: No. 1. I shall forget you presently
2 Millay Sonnets: No. 2. What lips my lips have kissed
5 Songs: No. 1. On a Spiritual Fever
5 Songs: No. 2. A Good Night
5 Songs: No. 3. On the World
Fire, Fire, Quench Desire
The You Should Have Done It Blues
From a Watchtower: No. 1. Mutability
From a Watchtower: No. 2. Ballad: O what is that sound?
From a Watchtower: No. 3. Heaven-Haven
From a Watchtower: No. 4. Ballad: O where are you going?
From a Watchtower: No. 5. The Listeners
3 Songs: No. 1. I laid me down
3 Songs: No. 2. Never seek to tell thy love
3 Songs: No. 3. I asked a thief
Lizzie Borden: Margaret's Garden Aria
Dr. Heidegger's Fountain of Youth: The Widow's Waltz
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