Notes and Editorial Reviews
We are tremendously excited to be issuing the first comprehensive CD of the incomparable Brazilian mezzo-soprano, Elsie Houston. Her vocal production and interpretations defy description. The intensity of her passion coupled with the raw energy of her expression make Elsie Houston impossible to forget once you have heard any one of her records. She is undoubtedly the most individual of any classically trained singer to have recorded. Having studied singing with Lilli Lehmann and Ninon Vallin, Houston took her voice and career in a completely different direction, devoting the rest of her life to the performance of Brazilian music. Her first recording, made in Paris in 1927, contained four songs by Heitor Villa-Lobos with the composer's wife
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accompanying her at the piano. Also among her first records was a group of Brazilian folk songs that she collected and published. These are sung to the accompaniment of guitar, clarinet, and various indigenous percussion instruments. She made many night club appearances in Paris and later in the U.S. where exoticism of things South American had become the rage. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Serestas (14) for Voice and Piano, W 216: no 6, Na paz do outono by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Lucilia Guimarães Villa-lobos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1943; Brazil
Date of Recording: 6/20/1928
2.
Serestas (14) for Voice and Piano, W 216: no 12, Realejo by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Lucilia Guimarães Villa-lobos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1943
Date of Recording: 6/20/1928
3.
Serestas (14) for Voice and Piano, W 216: no 10, Desejo by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Lucilia Guimarães Villa-lobos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1943; Brazil
Date of Recording: 6/20/1928
4.
Cançoes típicas brasileiras (13), W 159: Estrela é lua nova by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Lucilia Guimarães Villa-lobos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1919-1935; Brazil
Date of Recording: 6/20/1928
5.
Côco dendê, trapiá by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: 1930
Notes: Arrangement: Elsie Houston
6.
Ai! Sabiá da mata by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: 1930
Notes: Arrangement: Elsie Houston
7.
O barão da Bahia by Maria Amelia Barros
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: 1930
8.
Cadeé minha pomba rola by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: 1930
Notes: Arrangement: Elsie Houston
9.
Eh! Jurupanan by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Conductor:
Carlitos
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Date of Recording: 9/26/1933
Notes: Arrangement: Elsie Houston
10.
Berceuse Africano-Bresilienne by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: 9/26/1933
Notes: Arrangement: Elsie Houston
11.
Oia o sapo by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Carlitos
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Date of Recording: 9/26/1933
Notes: Arrangement: Elsie Houston
12.
Jongo by Anonymous
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: 6/1938
13.
Fado by Anonymous
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Date of Recording: 6/1938
14.
Toda p’ra você by Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
15.
Cançoes típicas brasileiras (13), W 159: Xangô by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1919-1935; Brazil
16.
Villancicos (12) españoles: Villancico Andaluz by Joaquin Nin
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
17.
Villancicos (12) españoles: Villancico Gallego by Joaquin Nin
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1932-1933; Cuba
18.
Villancicos (12) españoles: Villancico Castellano by Joaquin Nin
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
19.
Villancicos (12) españoles: Villancico Andaluz by Joaquin Nin
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
20.
Sur l'herbe by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1907; France
21.
Quand je chante cette melodie by Nilvar,
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano)
22.
Mon ami by Jamblan,
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Cy Walter (Piano)
Date of Recording: 7/1939
23.
The cherry tree by Samuel L. M. Barlow
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Cy Walter (Piano)
Date of Recording: 71/1939
24.
Foi numa noite calmosa by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Date of Recording: 1/171/1941
Notes: Arrangement: Luciano Gallet
25.
Bahia by Heckel Tavares
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Date of Recording: 1941
26.
Danza de caboclo by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Date of Recording: 1/24/1941
Notes: Arrangement: Hekel Tavares
27.
Bia-ta-tá by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Date of Recording: 1941
Notes: Arrangement: Hekel Tavares
28.
Benedicto pretinho by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Date of Recording: 1/24/1941
Notes: Arrangement: Hekel Tavares
29.
Berimbau, Op. 4 by Jaime Ovalle
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Date of Recording: 1/24/1941
30.
Pontos (3) de Santo, Op. 10 by Jaime Ovalle
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: Brazil
Date of Recording: 1/24/1941
31.
Bambalelê by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Date of Recording: 1/24/1941
Notes: ARrangement: Luciano Gallet
32.
Tayêras by Traditional
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Date of Recording: 1941
Notes: Arrangement: Luciano Gallet
33.
Serestas (14) for Voice and Piano, W 216: no 8, Cançao do carreiro by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1923-1943; Brazil
Date of Recording: 1/171/1941
34.
Canciones populares españolas (7) by Manuel de Falla
Performer:
Elsie Houston (Mezzo Soprano),
Pablo Miguel (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1914-1915; Spain
Date of Recording: 4/18/1941
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