| From: "DIANE M. CLARK (MUSIC DEPARTMENT)" Subject: Re: Brahms "Four Serious Songs" To: vocalist Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>
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.
|\ Dr. Diane M. Clark, Assoc. Prof./Chair of Music Dept., Rhodes College | 2000 N. Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, 901-843-3782, dclark-at-rhodes.edu () http://gray.music.rhodes.edu/musichtmls/faculty/dclark.html
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