Vocalist.org archive


From: Karen Mercedes
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Subject: Re: Art Song Question
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

On Fri, 7 Jan 2000, Tracy Wolstoncroft wrote:

> My question is this...would you consider Debussy a Romantic or 20th century
> composer. There has been some differences in opinion so I thought I would
> ask all of you.

He's definitely not Romantic. I suppose he could be considered "20th
century by a hair" (PELLEAS ET MELISANDE, for example, was produced in
1902). I suppose if you're sure to sing one of his songs composed in the
20th Century you could get away with using him as your 20th Century
composer.

> Also, would a Handel aria such as Va Godendo be considered an art song. I

If it's from one of his operas, I'd say "no". Is it that you need
something in Italian or something Baroque? If the former, you'd be safer
with undisputable art songs by Bellini, Donizetti, Tosti, etc. If the
latter, Henry Purcell wrote more songs than you can shake a stick at. I
know it probably means learning something new.

Is there some reason you can't call the organizers of the competition and
ask them?

Karen Mercedes
=====
There is delight in singing,
tho' none hear Beside the singer.
- Walter Savage Landor
-----
MY WEB PAGE: http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
MY NEIL SHICOFF PAGE: http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html