So Lit Song Lit: Recent Episodes
Cincinnati Song Initiative
This is So Lit Song Lit, where we reimagine the repertoire by introducing less familiar art songs through sound clips and lively discussion! Together we’ll be exploring songs by composers that you may or may not have heard of already, showing how they compare to standard works, and giving you a taste of what they sound like. Join us down the rabbit hole as we expand the song canon!
Better known in his home country of France than in the United States, Henri Sauguet has over 200 Mélodies, many of which have not yet been recorded. His music is characterised by its simplicity (even when using polytonality!) and clarity.
His music is published by Salabert and distributed through Presto Music--the scores we used for today's episode are Mélodies et chansons and Visions infernales, and there are several other sets of songs by Sauguet on that site. To see a more comprehensive list of his art songs, check out his listing on Liedernet.
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, Zachary Dean Smith, tenor, Troy Cook, baritone, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- Iles
- Comme à la lumière de la lune
- La ceinture
- Le petit paysan (Visions infernales)
Recorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
You can find out more about Zach on his website, https://www.zacharydeansmith.com/
You can find out more about Troy Cook on his website, https://www.troycookbaritone.com/
Charles Tomlinson Griffes is best known for his song "The Lament of Ian the Proud", but he has many more art songs and German Lieder to his credit. Having studied with Engelbert Humperdinck for a time, his German Lieder have an intense German sound, while many of his English songs have a definite French influence.
"In a Myrtle Shade" and "Symphony in Yellow" are in the book Songs of C.T. Griffes Vol. 1 (available at Classical Vocal Reprints), as is "The Lament of Ian the Proud". There is also a Vol. 2 in that series with different songs for medium voice, while Vol. 3 has several of his German Lieder, including "Wohl lag' ich einst" and one of my favorites, "Nacht liegt auf den fremden Wegen". "Cleopatra to the Asp" is in Seven Songs. To see a more comprehensive list of his art songs, check out his listing on Liedernet.
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, Zachary Dean Smith, tenor, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- Wohl lag' ich einst
- In a Myrtle Shade
- Symphony in Yellow
- Cleopatra to the Asp
Recorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
You can find out more about Zach on his website, https://www.zacharydeansmith.com/
Season 2 drops starting August 17th! This season Toni Marie and Ellen are focusing on queer composers, with guest host Zachary Dean Smith. Make sure to subscribe and tell all your friends, colleagues, and students!
Jennifer Aylmer, Associate Professor of Voice at Carnegie Mellon University, joins us today to discuss some lesser-known songs found on the album A French Collection (featuring Martyn Hill, tenor, Graham Johnston, piano, and Alber Ferber, piano). Jennifer found this recording on a music streaming service called Tidal. Links to the scores for these pieces can be found by clicking on the recording titles below.
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- Fauré: Mandoline
- Debussy: Mandoline
- Dupont: Mandoline
- Chabrier: Chanson pour Jeanne
- Franck: Nocturne
Recorded at The Camp Recording Studio in Elizabethtown, PA.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
Heinrich Marschner was the most important German opera composer between Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner, and he composed 430 Lieder! Dr. Jeffrey Williams, creator of the Marschner Song Database, joins Ellen to discuss Op. 186 Ein Liederheft vom Rhein (also available as PDF download). Dr. Williams has compiled several scores of Marschner's Lieder duets and opera arias for Classical Vocal Reprints, and his recording Marschner: Songs for Baritone with Jennifer McGuire, piano, can be found on Spotify.
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Maika Madison, baritone , and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- Still an der kühlen Fluth
- Es schauen die Ruinen
- Auch in der Fremde
Performances recorded at Carnegie Mellon University's Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA. Jingle and theme music recorded at The Camp Recording Studio in Elizabethtown, PA.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
New York-based vocal coach Susan Morton of SingThrough Central joins us today to discuss the rest of Stefano Donaudy's songs (besides O del mio amato ben!). These songs are appropriate for singers at all levels and the score can be purchased at Classical Vocal Reprints. The recording that Susan recommended with Ernesto Palacio and Samuele Pala is available on Spotify .
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- Amorosi miei giorni
- Freschi luoghi, prati aulenti
- Amor mi tiene in pugno
- Tregua non ho
Recorded at The Camp Recording Studio in Elizabethtown, PA.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
Episode 5 introduces Gomezanda's Mexican Song Collection, a 3-volume set available at Classical Vocal Reprints. Our guest is Dr. Juanita Ulloa, who collected and edited the volumes; her direct email is juanitavoicetrainer@gmail.com.
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- Tiernamente (Tenderly-vol. 2)
- Detente (Wait-vol. 1)
- A una golondrina (To a Swallow-vol. 1)
Recorded at The Camp Recording Studio in Elizabethtown, PA.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
This episode is about the songs of Lee Hoiby, particularly his short cycle Three Ages of Woman (settings of Elizabeth Bishop poetry), which can be purchased at Sheet Music Plus. His song album, Thirteen Songs, is also available at Sheet Music Plus. There is a brief cameo appearance from conductor Tyson Deaton who performed Three Ages of Woman with soprano Barbara Paver; recordings of that performance are available on YouTube.
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- always it's spring (e.e. cummings poetry, in Thirteen Songs)
- Filling Station
- Insomnia
Recorded at The Camp Recording Studio in Elizabethtown, PA.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
Episode 3 focuses on Isabelle Aboulker's Savoir vivre et usage mondains, found in her song album Mélodies, which can be purchased at Presto Music.
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- À propos de la chaussette blanche...
- Comment on offre le bras...
- Violon (Fiançailles pour rire, Poulenc)
- Et à propos de gant...
Recorded at The Camp Recording Studio in Elizabethtown, PA.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
This week, we discuss Hugo Wolf's Liederstrauß (with texts by Heinrich Heine) which were published posthumously. They are available for purchase through Amazon or Stretta Music.
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Michael Vallikappil, tenor (Instagram @mgvtenor), and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- No. 1: Sie haben heut Abend Gesellschaft
- No. 2: Ich stand in dunkeln Träumen
- No. 6: Mein Liebchen wir saßen beisammen
- No. 4 Aus meinen großen Schmerzen
Performances recorded at Carnegie Mellon University's Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA. Jingle and theme music recorded at The Camp Recording Studio in Elizabethtown, PA.
To hear the entire Liederstrauß, the recording we recommended on this episode was Schumann, Beethoven & Wolf: Vocal Works with Benjamin Bruns and Karola Theill.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
In the inaugural episode of So Lit Song Lit, we discuss the 24 Italian Songs and Arias by Women Composers, compiled and annotated by Nicole Leone and Randi Marazzo, available for purchase at Hildegard Publishing.
Recordings featured in this episode, performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, pianist:
- Chi brama in amore (Strozzi)
- Gia la notte s’avvicina (Colbran)
- La Speranza al cor mi dice (Colbran)
- Se spiegar (Szymanowska)
Recorded at The Camp Recording Studio in Elizabethtown, PA.
So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about their network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com.
You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree
Introducing So Lit Song Lit, where we reimagine the repertoire by examining less familiar art songs with lively discussion and sound clips! Join vocal coach Ellen Rissinger and soprano Toni Marie Palmertree as they explore the treasure trove of Lieder, Mélodies, Romances, and Art Songs. First episode drops August 18!
This podcast is sponsored by Cincinnati Song Initiative.