Date sent: Fri, 7 Jan 2000 13:57:29 EST
Subject: Re: Brahms "Four Serious Songs"
To: vocalist
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

In a message dated 01/07/2000 1:19:07 PM Eastern Standard Time,
DCLARK-at-rhodes.edu writes:

<< John wrote:

>>Definitely composed for Bass. Brahms even writes in a letter (8 May 1896)
that it would be "ridiculous to let a girl or tenor sing them".

I hope he changed his mind when the sounds of Kathleen Ferrier's beautiful
rendition wafted up to heaven. I love to sing these songs myself. They lie
wonderfully in my voice, and I think I do them very well. (I use the high
key.) Of course, I certainly do enjoy them sung by a good bass. Richard
Vernon did them in his October Memphis recital, and they were stunning. >>

Also, Brahms had a distinctively sexist mindset - not uncommon in his day -
and I tend to take anything he wrote about women with a large grain of salt.
I've been rereading biographies of Brahms lately in preparation for doing
these songs, and I've been reminded that his relationships with women were
problematic at best.

Lee Morgan
Mezzo-soprano