From: Karen Mercedes
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Subject: Re: Les nuits d'ete
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

On Thu, 13 Jan 2000 Mezzoid-at-aol.com wrote:

> This is from Pierre Bernac's The Interpretation of French Song:
>
> Absence F# (often sung in F) [one step higher]
> Villanelle A [3rd higher than the low key]
> La spectre de la rose D [3rd higher the low key]
> Sur les lagunes F minor [same as the low key]
>
> He does not discuss the other 2. I used to have notes about this but I don't
> know where they are ...

Years ago I had a recording of "Les nuits..." that featured three
different singers, with all the songs in the original keys (the singers
were a tenor, a mezzo, and a soprano). Unfortunately, it was also a
*dreadful* recording, which is why I say I *used to* have it.

The current trend seems to be for these songs to be sung in the transposed
lower keys by a mezzo or a baritone more often than by a soprano or tenor.
Jose van Dam's and Regine Crespin's recordings remain the benchmarks, IMO.

KM
=====
There is delight in singing,
tho' none hear Beside the singer.
- Walter Savage Landor
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