Singing and other Sins was broadcast on Hawaii Public Radio until 9 April 2022. You can read more about the history of the program and its name. Previous programs are not being broadcast, but you can listen to many of them in the archive below.
The archive contains shows from 2011 (and earlier) to 2022.
Listen to as little or as much of a program as you like. If you have requests, comments, or suggestions, please let us know.
Here are a few other suggestions of my favorite programs: Beethoven Lite: 11 May 2019 The scowling Beethoven is not heard on this edition of Singing and other Sins. Rather, his light-hearted Lieder, folk songs, and instrumental works. You’ll hear Hermann Prey, Lotte Lehmann, and many other singers and pianists with special Beethoven talents.
Liszt/Petrarch: 25 November 2012. Liszt was inspired by Petrarch’s sonnets to write songs, then pianos pieces based on the songs, and finally a revision for low voice of the original songs. We’ll hear all of these! The tenor is John Aler, the baritone is Thomas Quastoff.
For those who don’t like art song, there are plenty of introductory programs such as: Alma’s Songs/Art Songs for People Who Don’t Like Art Songs: 12 January 2019. Gary’s good friend Alma McGoldrick has known him for over 35 years, loves opera, symphonic music, etc., but has never come to enjoy art songs. Gary assembled the songs on this program to prove to her that, deep down, she really does love art song.
Jump ahead to:
2022
Farewell Program: 9 April 2022. After guiding first Great Songs, then Singing and other Sins, since 1988, I decided to stop producing art song programs for HPR. In this final program I trace my radio history, from 1972 WBAI in New York City, to HPR in 1988. You’ll hear excerpts from my interviews with Lotte Lehmann, Hermann Prey, and Ned Rorem. There are songs performed by two winners of the Art Song Contest that Great Songs sponsored: Jordan Shanahan and Quinn Kelsey. Both of these baritones are making their mark on international opera stages.
On this farewell programs I include many songs of goodbye. It has been a joy for me to share art song with listeners, whether in New York City or throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
My Lotte Lehmann Memories: 26 February 2022. A personal memoire, in sound, of my Lotte Lehmann life. I first met her in 1961 when I was 20 and she 73. Besides being one of the few geniuses that I’ve known, Mme Lehmann became a kind of “grandmother” figure to me, writing me encouraging letters as I traveled the world as a bassist. And, after a lot research following her passing in 1976, I’ve become somewhat of a Lehmann expert. I hope you’ll understand all this better after hearing this program.
Solo Pianists As Accompanists Part Two: 15 January 2022: Most solo pianists seem happy to remain in that position, but there are those who occasionally record with an art song singer. This is the second of two programs to share these artists’ pursuits, including a sample of both genres. You’ll hear: Garrick Ohlsson, Stephen Hough, Alicia de Larrocha, Alexis Weissenberg, Leif Ove Andsnes, and Christoph Eschenbach.
Fun German Songs: 8 January 2022: Many people assume Germans and their Lieder to be serious, without fun. You’ll hear many silly, crazy, and funny songs that include composers such as Haydn, Beethoven, Loewe, Brahms, and Hugo Wolf.
Composers’ Choice: 1 January 2022: I asked composers to send their favorite art song (of theirs) and here’s what went into the program: Larry Alan Smith’s “Lia” from his set called Epigrams; Lori Laitman’s “Orange Afternoon Lover”, from her cycle Against Still Life; Tom Cipullo’s “Of a Certain Age” from his cycle called The Garden; Arthur Keegan-Bole chose his setting of Thomas Hardy’s “The Walk”; Ricky Ian Gordon chose his “Lullaby,” from a set called Way Back to Paradise; Libby Larson sent us her song called “Boy’s Lips”; Donald Womack chose the song called “You” from his 23 Chinese Proverbs; Juliana Hall sent “Sonnet” from her set called Night Dances; Bill Bolcom chose “Amor”; Jake Heggie’s chosen song was “The Gossips” from his set called Camille Claudel: Into the Fire; Paula Kimper chose “Looking Back”; Garth Baxter sent “Nights without Sleep”; Bob McCauley sent “The Steps” from his A Seven of Sonnets; Larry Desner chose “She Walks in Beauty.”
2021
Christmas Carols Sung by the Greats: 25 December 2021: I’ve designed this program to not only feature wonderful singers, but to also engage the listener by having them guess each soloist. I divulge their names after they carol is over. Naming a few here, won’t spoil the game, because one doesn’t know the order: Joan Sutherland, Kiri Te Kanawa, Placido Domingo, Marilyn Horne, Leontyne Price, etc., etc.
Solo Pianists As Accompanists Number One: 11 December 2021: Most solo pianists seem happy to remain in that position, but there are those who occasionally record with an art song singer. This is the first of two programs to share these artists’ pursuits, including a sample of both genres. Here are the pianists on this program: Richter, Browning, Cortot, Ashkenazy, Brendel, Lupu, and Shelley.
Final Ravel and Fauré Song Cycles: 25 September 2021: Two great song cycles were composed by these French masters shortly before their deaths. By an historic coincidence two excellent baritones (Panzera and Singher) recorded their interpretations, so you can hear those as well as modern recordings of L’horizon chimerique and Don Quichotte á Dulcinée.
Kindertotenlieder: 18 September 2021: Though a morbid thought today, in Mahler’s time and even more so in the time of Rückert, the poet of this cycle, the death of children was commonplace. In any case, the music is beautiful and we hear it sung by the sensitive baritone Thomas Hampson and in the iconic recording with Bruno Walter by Kathleen Ferrier.
Conductors as Accompanists: 11 September 2021: Some conductors drop their batons to sit at the piano and accompany singers in art songs. You’ll hear historic combinations of Lehmann and Ferrier with Bruno Walter at the piano. Furtwängler accompanies Schwarzkopf, Arthur Nikisch with Elena Gerhardt, etc.
Strauss Accompanies Strauss: 4 September 2021: Luckily for history, Richard Strauss was recorded as the pianist as far back as 1920 and with many excellent singers: Heinrich Schlusnus, Peter Anders, Julius Patzak, Anton Dermota, and Hilde Konetzni. These are compared with modern recordings of the same songs.
My Favorite Recordings: 24 July 2021: These are personal favorite recordings, that for me, bring together the combination of pianist, singer, poet, and composer to produce what I deem “just right.” Some of the examples include: Elgar’s “Where corals lie” with Janet Baker, Schubert’s “Die Liebe hat gelogen” with Karl Erb; Phidylé by Duparc with Gérard Souzay and Dalton Baldwin; Kathleen Ferrier singing Mahler’s “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen,” or Kathleen Battle with Christopher Parkening in Dowland’s “Come again sweet love.”
History of the Lied: 26 June 2021: A brief sampling of Lieder from Bach to Strauss in one hour. I chose the voice of Lotte Lehmann as the demonstration, but made one huge mistake. See if you can discover which major Lieder composer I left out.
Die schöne Müllerin: 5 June 2021: The Beautiful Miller-maid by Schubert is heard without interruption. Sanford Sylvan, baritone and David Breitman, pianoforte (an instrument that sounds a lot like the keyboard of Schubert’s time), perform the cycle with joy and agility.
Herman Prey Program Number Two: 22 May 2021: See the information below. On this second program Prey discusses how important it was for him to hear playbacks of his recordings. It was his best teacher! He also discusses his longing for singable contemporary opera and art song. You’ll hear him sing Lieder by Brahms, Schubert, Beethoven and Strauss. There’s also an excerpt from a Lortzing operetta.
Hermann Prey Program Number One: 15 May 2021: In 1973 while living and working in Munich I interviewed Prey. He’d just about finished the huge project of recording the history of the Lied. On this first program that’s the main topic of discussion. This leads to many examples of his singing of Lieder from the Middle Ages until modern songs with the composers accompanying. Along the way, you hear Prey sing Rossini, Mozart, Schubert, and many more favorites.
Mélodie Exotique: 8 May 2021: Many fine French composers were fascinated by the Near and Far East. They found poetry that fit their interests and it is those songs that comprise this program. Fauré, Debussy, Berlioz, Delage, Paladilhe, Ravel, and Bizet are the composers for this program.
Christa Ludwig Memorial: 1 May 2021: We recognize the passing of one of the great voices of the recent past with examples of her singing opera, Lieder, and cantata. We have included many excerpts from our 85th birthday interview with Mme Ludwig, that will provide background and a lot of her laughter.
Borrowed From His Own Lieder: 13 March 2021: replay of 3 August 2019: Gary offers the chance to hear how composers have used their art songs in other works, whether opera, symphonic, chamber music or solo piano. The examples range from Mahler to Liszt.
Lotte Lehmann Birthday: 27 February 2021: You’ll hear Lehmann sing followed by one of her students in the same song. Many of them also speak about studying with her. You’ll hear Marilyn Horne, Grace Bumbry, Benita Valente, Mildred Miller, and others.
Roland Hayes: 20 February 2021: This wonderful tenor sang first in 20th century acoustic recordings and throughout his long life was able to make recordings until the 1960s. Son of emancipated enslaved parents, Hayes studied in the U.S., but made his name in Europe before returning to tour the States for years. You’ll hear live and studio recordings of German, French, and English art songs, as well as his own arrangements of spirituals. There’s a portion in which he speaks of his devotion to singing these last mentioned songs.
Debbie Kelsey Memorial: 16 January 2021; This tribute to soprano Auntie Debbie centers on the recordings of Hawaiian ballads that she made in 1991. Since she’s the mother to Quinn and Blythe, you’ll also hear them sing.
2020
Copland’s Dickinson Songs 15 August 2020; replay of a program from 18 November 2012. Both his original piano version and his orchestration of some of the songs are presented. Original Poetry
Pop and Art Song: 27 June 2020 This program offers you the chance to guess the singer who performs both a popular song and an art song. I give hints.
Jan DeGaetani Program2: 20 June 2020 There was no way that I could present this mezzo-soprano in just one program. On this one you’ll enjoy her singing of German Lieder by Schubert (including the fastest Musensohn ever!), Schumann, Brahms, and Wolf. Her Cole Porter is equally good.
Opera vs Recital: 30 May 2020 This program features opera singers singing an aria followed by an art song. We’ll hear how well they can perform in the different genres. You’ll hear Nicolai Gedda, Christa Ludwig, Renée Fleming, Leontyne Price, Fritz Wunderlich, Kirsten Flagstad, and others.
Schubert Variations: 25 April 2020 Schubert used his own Lieder as a source for variation movements for his instrumental works. You’ll hear both the songs that inspired them, as well as the instrumental pieces that resulted. Such works as his Death and the Maiden string quartet, the Wanderer Fantasie, the Trout Quintet, and others, are included.
Wanderlust : 18 April 2020. The joyous art songs of wandering, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors are the focus of this episode. The composers include Schumann, Wolf, Vaughan Williams, Duparc, and John Ireland. The great voices of Christa Ludwig, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Sarah Walker, Christopher Maltman, Werner Güra, Jonathan Lemalue, and Bryn Terfel will delight your ears.
Religious Art Songs: 11 April 2020 Sampling spiritual songs by Beethoven, Schubert, Dvorak, Brahms, and Mahler. The singers include Hermann Prey, Bryn Terfel, Christa Ludwig, Bernarda Fink, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Dagmar Peckova, Werner Güra, and Jennie Tourel.
April Fools Songs: 28 March 2020. Though this edition of SaoS was prepared to celebrate April Fools’ Day, these light-hearted, silly, and sometimes funny art songs feel appropriate for our virus days. You’ll hear songs of Paul Bowles, Lee Hoiby, Samuel Barber, Jake Heggie, Bill Bolcom, John Musto, and Philip Wharton.
Jan De Gaetani (First Program): 21 March 2020. In all the years since we began broadcasting art song in Hawaii, we’d never devoted a whole program to the mezzo-soprano who almost exclusively sang art song, Jan de Gaetani. There was so much to choose from that we’ll do a second program soon. On this one, you’ll hear her sing Dowland, Chausson, Debussy, Ravel, Ives, Foster, Bolcom, Crumb, and more.
Multiple Songs of One Poem: 7 March 2020 You’ll hear how many composers have set Frost’s “Stopping by Woods,” Millay’s “What Lips my Lips Have Kissed,” Dickinson’s “To Make a Prairie,” “Wild Nights,” and Hughes’ “Black Pierrot.”
Lotte Lehmann Recently Released 6CD Box: 29 February 2020 A slightly late Lehmann birthday tribute (born 27 February) and a chance to hear the Marston Records treatment of her recordings made from 1927–1933. She was in her prime, the microphone had been invented, and now we can hear these recordings without the surface noise. The concentration was on the Lieder recordings, but Gary included a few pop numbers and lighter songs.
Tonal Schoenberg Songs: 15 February 2020 Most listeners associate Schoenberg’s name with atonality or serial composition techniques. Though that’s a correct assumption, he did write tonal works also, and Gary assembled one cabaret song and many of his tonal art songs for this program.
2019
Crazy In Love: 14 December 2019 The thrill of love in songs by Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Bartok, Elgar, Fauré, Debussy, Gounod, Schumann, Strauss, and American composers Thomson, Larry Allen Smith, George Walker, Lee Hoiby, John Musto, Lori Laitman, and Leonard Bernstein.
Wanderlust: 23 November 2019. The joyous art songs of wandering, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors are the focus of this episode. The composers include Schumann, Wolf, Vaughan Williams, Duparc, and John Ireland. The great voices of Christa Ludwig, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Sarah Walker, Christopher Maltman, Werner Güra, Jonathan Lemalue, and Bryn Terfel will delight your ears.
Paulo Tosti Salon Songs: 21 September 2019. Though Italian born, Tosti (1846-1916) gained most of his fame as a light song composer from his years in London. We’ll hear his songs performed by the likes of Domingo, Gheorghiu, Hepner, Hvorostovsky, Caruso, and Battistini.
Japanese Western Art Song Second Program: 17 August 2019 This is the second half of the program listed below.
Japanese Western Art Song First Program: 10 August 2019 From a 1992 Great Songs program, we’ll hear Gary interview baritone/professor Katsuumi Niwa about the history of Western Japanese Art Song. With Gary is Noriko Kawaura helping with translation and pronunciation. There’s a lot more than just “Sakura, sakura.” This is the first of two such programs.
Borrowed From His Own Lieder: 3 August 2019 Gary offers the chance to hear how composers have used their art songs in other works, whether opera, symphonic, chamber music or solo piano. The examples range from Mahler to Liszt.
Classic Recordings of American Art Songs: 6 July 2019 To help celebrate Independence Day you can hear classic recordings of some of the best American art songs ever written. Donald Gramm sings the Blue Mountain Ballads of Paul Bowles; Leontyne Price sings Barber’s Hermit Songs with the composer at the piano; Ned Rorem accompanies some of his own art songs; Jan de Gaetani performs Steven Foster, Eliott Carter, and Aaron Copland songs.
Beethoven Lite: 11 May 2019 The scowling Beethoven is not heard on this edition of Singing and other Sins. Rather, his light-hearted Lieder, folk songs, and instrumental works. You’ll hear Hermann Prey, Lotte Lehmann, and many other singers and pianists with special Beethoven talents.
André Previn Memorial: 6 April 2019 Though Previn might not be famous for his art song compositions, he did write some beautiful ones, and that’s the focus of this tribute. You’ll also hear a major instrumental work (with Previn conducting his own composition), his jazz piano playing, and his piano accompaniment to his own song cycle, Sally Chissom Remembers Billy the Kid.
Sanford Sylvan Memorial: 23 March 2019 To mark the recent passing of the American baritone, Gary recorded this tribute that allows the listener to enjoy the broad range of Sylvan’s art, from Fauré, Barber, to Copland.
Beebe Freitas Memorial #2: 16 March 2019 Gary provides the tribute to this greatly beloved Honolulu pianist, on the second anniversary of her passing. She speaks and demonstrates and there are plenty of examples of her playing for many fine local singers.
Lotte Lehmann Sings Non-German Songs: 23 February 2019 Gary presents Lehmann, certainly best known for her performances of Lieder, performing English, Italian, and French art songs. You’ll hear everything from the most sophisticated Renaldo Hahn mélodie to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.
Alma’s Songs/Art Songs for People who Don’t Like Art Songs: 12 January 2019 Gary’s good friend Alma McGoldrick has known him for over 35 years, loves opera, symphonic music, etc., but has never come to enjoy art songs. He assembled the songs on this program to prove to her that, deep down, she really does love art song.
2018
Alto Rhapsody: 4 August 2013 For some strange reason this earlier program was never archived. Here’s your chance to hear various wonderful mezzos and contraltos singing the amazing work of Brahms.
Irwin Gage Memorial: 3 November 2018 A memorial tribute to the great collaborative pianist who died in April 2018. This program offers a special: you can hear Gage play a Lied’s piano part without the singer followed by him accompanying singers such as Brigitte Fasbaender, Gundula Janowitz, etc.
Dominick Argento’s 91st B’day: 27 October 2018 Blair and Gary interview Mr. Argento and intersperse his art songs with the narrative. Mr. Argento’s favorite instrumental work as well as selections from his iconic Casa Guidi with Frederica von Stade are included.
Schubert Variations: 20 October 2018 Schubert used his own Lieder as a source for variation movements for his instrumental works. You’ll hear both the songs that inspired them, as well as the instrumental pieces that resulted. From such works as his Death and the Maiden string quartet, the Wanderer Fantasie, the Trout Quintet, and others, you’ll hear many beautiful works.
George Walker Memorial: 6 October 2018 We offer a repeat of a previous George Walker program as a memorial to this American composer and pianist. You’ll hear him in both capacities and he also speaks to Gary by phone. Dr. Walker’s range of expression in his art songs is impressive.
Baudelaire: 28 July 2018 Blair shares with you art songs set to poems by Charles Baudelaire. You’ll hear songs by Duparc, Debussy, Caplet, and Chabrier set to texts by Baudelaire.
Maggie Teyte: 19 May 2018 Blair provides a retrospective of Teyte performing treasures from the French song repertoire for which she is so well known: Fauré. Hahn, Duparc, and Debussy.
Richard Hundley Memorial: 28 April 2018 Gary offers this tribute to the great American art song specialist Richard Hundley who recently passed. The program includes historic live performances by Anna Moffo, John Reardon and Frederica von Stade. You’ll also hear many modern recordings of Hundley’s gems.
Art Song Contest Winners Recital (Second Half): 21 April 2018 Blair presents the remaining three winners of the SaoS International Art Song Vocal Competition. You’ll hear the talented voices of soprano Min Jim Kim, soprano, Laure Meloy, and Baritone, Christian Bester.
Beebe Freitas Memorial Tribute: 3 March 2018 From a 1992 program that Beebe provided for Great Songs (the name of the program then) she demonstrates the art of the accompanist. She talks about her life as a pianist and actually talks while playing the piano! You’ll also hear her playing for winners of the local art song contest in live recitals.
Art Song Contest Winners Recital: 3 February 2018 Since we had six winners this year, you’ll hear three of them on this recital and the final three on a later program. The three mini-recitals on this program are sung by Natalie Mann, Jie Yin, and Anna Tonna.
Hvorostovsky Memorial: 27 January 2018 Blair pays tribute to the late, great baritone, Dmitri Hvorostovsky. You’ll hear Tchaikovsky, Purcell, and Mahler, as sung by Hvorostovsky.
2017
International Art Song Contest Semi-Finalists: 16 December 2017 Host Gary Hickling announces the semi-finalists and the winners, with their wonderful recordings as evidence. Here are the names of the Semi-Finalists and (Winners): Anna Tonna (Winner); Véronique Fallout; Ryan Brock; Minji Kim (Winner); Jie Yin (Winner); Laure Meloy (Winner); David John Davani; Richard Mix; Christian Bester (Winner); Winnie Nieh; Kelsi Folsom; Natalie Mann (Winner); Samantha Dearborn. Usually we choose three winners, but the level was so high that six were selected. They’ll be invited to send mini-recitals that will be heard on a future broadcast.
Les Six: 18 Nov 2017 Host Blair Boone-Migura discusses French composers, Georges Auric, Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc, and Germaine Tailleferre who informally formed the group Les Six under the guidance of composer Erik Satie and filmmaker Jean Cocteau.
John Aler Tribute: 28 Oct 2017 Host Blair Boone-Migura spends the hour playing many memorable recordings by American tenor, John Aler. The program features a range of composers like Franz Liszt, George Frederick Handel, Camille Saint-Saens and Gioachino Rossini.
Goethe’s Birthday: 26 August 2017 Poetry by this master has inspired many Lieder. We’ll hear the poems spoken by actors and several sung versions of each work. The poems include Prometheus, Der Schatzgräber, Das Veilchen, and Wanderers Nachtlied. The composers include Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, and Wolf.
A. E. Housman: 25 March 2017 Housman’s Shropshire Lad was a successful group of poems relating to the English countryside, as well as to love and death. The book, as well as other individual poems by Housman were set by many early 20th century English composers. We hear multiple versions of single poems.
Lotte Lehmann Studio vs Live: 25 February 2017 We celebrate Lehmann’s birthday by listening to studio recordings compared with the same song performed on the recital stage. You be the judge. Does one sound more spontaneous or immediate?
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau vs Mattias Goerne: 22 January 2017 Goerne studied with DF-D so it makes for an interesting program to listen to these two baritones singing the same Lied.
2016
Emily Dickinson Poems as Song: 11 December 2016 Celebrating Dickinson’s birthday and standing as the most often set American poet. Gary offers three or four different composers’ versions of the poems.
Swedish Songs: 20 November 2016 Many of the great Romantic composers of Sweden sung by Björling, Bonney, von Otter, Hagegård, and even Lotte Lehmann.
Symphonic Voices: 13 November 2016 A chance to hear “songs” inbeded in a symphony orchestra’s sound. Everything from Mahler to Shostakovich.
Allerseelen/All Souls’ Day: 6 November 2016 Host Blair Boone-Migura presents a program of solace for the loved ones we’ve lost. Play List Translation
Rorem: 23 October 2016 Host Blair Boone-Migura joins Gary in a telephone interview with the great American composer, pianist, and author Ned Rorem to celebrate his 93rd birthday. We play recordings of favorite Rorem songs, chamber music, and other instrumental works.
John Ireland: 14 July 2016 This English composer is unjustly neglected and with so many fine recordings of his songs available, Gary toys to play each of these beautiful songs twice, so that you can get to know their contours.
Art Songs with Obligato Instrument(s): 31 July 2016 We begin with the most obvious: Schubert’s Shepherd on the Rock with clarinet and sample Romantic and modern examples of this beautiful genre.
Gender Identity: 17 July 2016 Can you guess the gender of a composer by listening to his/her work?
Walt Whitman: 29 May 2016 Songs inspired by the poetry of Walt Whitman.
Lotte Lehmann B’day: 28 February 2016 You can hear arias and art songs (Lieder) along with excerpts from my iBook: Lotte Lehmann & Her Legacy.
Comfort in Loss: 21 February 2016 There are many art songs and choral works that can help us during the time of mourning. Translations
2015
HPR’s International Art Song Contest Winners 2015: 20 December 2015 Three Winners perform mini-recitals of art songs. The Winners are: Ina Kancheva with pianist Ludmil Angelov; Jennifer Piazza-Pick with pianist Cheryl Cellon Lindquist; Franco Pomponi with pianist Michael Fennelly. Translations
Wm Blake Poetry as Art Songs 2015: 29 November 2015
Apolinaire 2015: 8 November 2015 This poet inspired many composers, but mostly Poulenc. Translations
Othmar Schoeck 2015: 1 November 2015 This Swiss composer wrote hundreds of beautiful songs. Translations
Ned Rorem 2015: 25 October 2015 Celebrating Rorem’s 92nd b’day: phone interview and classic recording of his songs.
Art Song Contest Semi-Finalists 2015: 18 October 2015
Neapolitan Songs: 4 October 2015
American Parlor Songs: 5 July 2015
Janacek Songs: 28 June 2015
Korngold’s Songs: 31 May 2015
Michael Tippett Songs: 24 May 2015
French Opera and French Song: 17 May 2015
Brahms Folk Songs: 3 May 2015
Guitar-Accompanied Art Songs: 8 February 2015. Classical and modern song with guitar accompaniment.
Mozart Songs: 25 January 2015. Gary plays each song twice, usually with a male voice and a female. Translations
Spirituals: 11 January 2015. Some of the most beautiful recordings of spirituals from throughout the 20th century: Roland Hayes, Marion Anderson, Leontyne Price, etc.
Stoner Art Songs: 4 January 2015. Not just “Jabberwocky,” but spacey songs by Brahms, Schubert, and even Mussorgsky.
2014
Guess the Composers: 28 December 2014. Gary plays ten composers and give hints as to who they are. Some of the hints are facts, others about the art song. You identify the composer.
Mildred Miller 90th B’day I : 14 December 2014. The first of two programs honoring the great American mezzo soprano, Mildred Miller. On this first one she sings the classic Bruno Walter/New York Philharmonic version of Mahler’s Lied von der Erde. Translation
Mildred Miller 90th B’day II: 21 December 2014. The interview with Ms. Miller continues and she sings Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and the Brahms Alto Rhapsody with Bruno Walter conducting. Then excerpts from Robert Schumann’s Op. 39 Liederkreis with John Wustman, piano.
Heinrich Heine’s Poems as Songs: 7 December 2014. More songs (Lieder) have been written to the words of Heine than any other poet! By far. On this program Gary samples some of them and provides recordings of various settings of the same words. Translation
21st Century Art Songs (First): 2 November 2014. The first of five programs celebrating the art songs of our time.
21st Century Art Songs (Second): 9 November 2014. The second of five programs celebrating the art songs of our time.
21st Century Art Songs (Third): 16 November 2014. The third of five programs celebrating the art songs of our time.
21st Century Art Songs (Fourth): 23 November 2014. The fourth of five programs celebrating the art songs of our time.
21st Century Art Songs – Dickinson (Fifth): 30 November 2014. The fifth of five programs celebrating the art songs of our time, with an emphasis on those written to Dickinson poems.
Bizet 2014: 26 October 2014. Celebrating his b’day with mélodie as well as a few other sins.
Countertenors : 21 September 2014. A survey of countertenors at work, from Baroque to Pop and everything in between.
Rorem: 19 October 2014. Songs and instrumental works to celebrate the composer’s 91st birthday. He was kind enough to allow a phone interview, which also is available as part of this program.
Scottish: 12 October 2014. Scotland was in the news so much that it seemed appropriate to play Scottish folk songs, art song, instrumental music (of course, Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy) and even some authentic Kaeltic singing.
Yom Kippur: 5 October 2014. With a little help from Cantor Cohen, Gary was able to assemble this program which features various versions of Kol Nidrei as well as some cantors of the past intoning various prayers.
Folk Songs as Art Songs: 7 September 2014. This theme works in both directions: some composers have arranged folk songs as art songs. Brahms, Bartok and Britten were prime examples. From the other direction, we know of art songs by Schubert and Brahms et al which, though they began as art songs, become folk songs.
Milhaud’s Birthday: 13 August 2014. Drawing on both his French and Jewish heritage, Darius Milhaud wrote many splendid songs. Whenever possible you’ll hear comparison recordings to allow you to get to know the elusive tunes. Translations
Songs About Music: 20 July 2014. Poets have always found music a tempting subject and their words have inspired composers from Schubert to Bernstein. As usual, Gary offers comparison interpretations.
Brahms 4 May 2014. We celebrate the birthday of Johannes Brahms with the complete Magelone Lieder, his only song cycle. Four singers and their pianists were chosen to best fit the “speaker” of the song: Britgitte Fassbaender, mezzo soprano, with Elisabeth Leonskaja, piano; Hans Peter Blochwitz, tenor and Eric Schneider, piano; Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone, with Sviatoslav Richter, piano, and finally a vintage recording of Hans Hotter, bass-baritone, with Michael Raucheisen, piano. Translations
Verlaine in Song. 3 August 2014. The poet Paul Verlaine inspired many composers to write mélodie to his words. You’ll hear the same poems set by composers such as Fauré, Chausson, Debussy, Delius, Hahn, and Ravel. Translations
Who Is Native? 10 Aug 2014. Can you tell? The question is: which of the singers is singing in their native tongue? Gary plays various art songs twice and you guess who is singing in a foreign langue. Translations
Fauré 12 May 2014. Honoring his birthday with a special presentation of “The Good Song” (La Bonne chanson) in comparison recordings featuring the one recently recorded by Thomas Meglioranza with Reiko Uchida. Translations
Strauss 150th B’day 8 June 2014. Comparing the piano accompanied songs as sung by Fischer-Dieskau with the same songs in orchestrated versions with various sopranos. Translations
Hugo Wolf 16 March 2014. We celebrate this great Lieder composer with the usual comparisons.
Lori Laitman 6 April 2014. This living American composer writes approachable songs that appeal to many singers, pianists and of course, audience members.
Prokofiev 20 April 2014. Gary features the set of Five Poems of Anna Akhmatova (in comparison recordings), as well as his children’s songs. Translations
Wagner B’day 2014 18 May 2014 Enjoy two different performances of the Wesendonck Lieder, one with piano and one with orchestra. Translations
Glinka B’day 1 June 2014. Glinka’s songs as well as some instrumental music. Translations
Berg 9 February 2014. The program actually fell on Alban Berg’s birthday, so we had to offer this edition featuring both his youthful songs as well as the mature Altenburg Lieder. Translations
Song Transcriptions 5 January 2014. Another way to be introduced to art song is hearing the song first in an instrumental transcription.
2013
Rorem 2013: Part One 20 October 2013. Celebrating the 90th b’day of Ned Rorem with his song cycle for four voices called Evidence of things not Seen. You’ll hear an interview with Mr. Rorem, especially recorded for this program. Evidence
Rorem 2013: Part Two 27 October 2013. Evidence of things not Seen is so long that it takes two programs. More of Rorem’s interview, as well. Evidence
25th Anniversary: Part Two 29 September 2013. There were so many “favorite” songs that it took two programs!
25th Anniversary: Part One 1 September 2013. Gary chose his favorite recordings of his favorite songs to celebrate the silver anniversary of Great Songs and Singing and other Sins.
Dvorak Gary commemorates the birthday of Dvorak with two versions (one with mezzo soprano and the other with tenor) of his Biblical Songs. Translations
Foster 7 July 2013. When Stephen Foster songs a sung by the masters, they become elevated to the status of art song. So we noted Independence Day, which is also Foster’s birthday
Chabrier B’day 13 January 2013. There are so many wonderful mélodie from the pen of this composer, it was difficult to make the selections. The usual comparisons are offered.
Introduction To Art Song 2013 6 January 2013. The first program of the year is usually devoted to introducing an audience to the world of art song.
2012
Flicka 3 June 2012. Frederica von Stade sings French songs with Martin Katz at the piano. When she visited Honolulu she consented to an interview that you’ll hear on this program.
Meyerbeer Songs 20 May 2012. Best known for his grand operas, Meyerbeer did also write songs. University of Hawaii professor Dr. Wright is my guest guiding us through these wonderful works.
Tchaikovsky 6 May 2012. Gary plays each of his songs twice, mostly sung by Russian speakers/singers. You’ll also hear some Tchaikovsky short piano music that fits the mood of the songs.
Barbara Bonney 22 April 2012. This program celebrated Barbara’s birthday and Gary had scheduled an interview, but mixed up the time. But she answered some questions by email and Gary includes those interesting subjects on the program.
Pop and Classical 13 April 2012. You’ll hear Jan de Gaetani compared with Fred Astaire, Elly and Ella, etc.
Rimsky-Korsakov 18 March 2012. Not well-known for his song output, R-K songs are enjoyable and this chance to hear them twice allows us to get to know them.
Lotte Lehmann’s B’day 29 February 2012. Not only do we hear Lehmann, but we have a chance to hear how other singers perform the selections.
X-Rated Songs! 12 February 2012. You’ll hear sensual and sensuous love songs from many cultures. Some of the comparisons are orchestrated versions of the songs.
Liszt/Petrarch 25 November 2012. Liszt was inspired by Petrarch’s sonnets to write songs, then pianos pieces based on the songs, and finally a revision for low voice of the original songs. We’ll hear all of these!
Copland’s Dickinson Songs 18 November 2012. Both his original piano version and his orchestration of some of the songs are presented. Original Poetry
2011
Undated
Baudelaire: From and unknown date. The great French poet inspired many composers to write sophisticated mélodie. Translations
English Poetry & Song This is a program from Gary’s Great Songs period, important in that it has readings of the poetry [by the likes of Auden!] before one hears the song.
Hölderlin: A Great Songs program from July 2004 with art songs that use the poetry of the great German Friedrich Hölderlin (1770-1843). As you’ll learn, much of his poetry is in fragments, which is perfect for the condensed genre of art song.
Lotte Lehmann Comparisons: from a 2014 broadcast featuring the 5 CD set of live and other rare Lehmann recordings with comparisons to modern ones. Translations
Massenet: from an unknown period.
Messengers of Love: from an unknown period.
Peterson-Berger Swedish Composer: possibly from 2014
Same Poem Different Song: From 2007, the Great Songs period, Gary is joined by co-host Joanna Takagi.
Seniors Sing A program from a Great Songs broadcast many years ago.
Dan Welcher: From the Great Songs period, Gary interviews the composer and plays his songs with Dan’s introductions.