I’ve
always wanted to own the Old American Songs but couldn’t
decide whether I wanted the piano or the orchestral version
or if I preferred a male or female voice. I’m sure I’d enjoy
any permutation but this version with Thomas Hampson and the
St Paul Chamber Orchestra is surely the benchmark. It is simply
superb and remains long in the memory. I’ve found myself singing
them around the house, and even in my dreams! They are such
disarmingly charming songs with a real sense of childlike wonder
about them. Even the more serious of them has a simple yet direct
appeal. And what an advocate they have in Hampson whose sense
of timing is crucial in making them work at every level – just
listen to his masterly handling of “The Boatman’s Dance” and
“I Bought Me A Cat” to see what I mean. I also hope and trust
you will enjoy as much as I do “The Dodger”, an absolutely hilarious
and insightful statement about the nature of politicians, preachers
and men, set to some deliciously tuneful music - as they all
are.
In
“Eight Poems of Emily Dickinson” Copland set works by the American
poet for voice and orchestra from his 1950 work “Twelve Poems
of Emily Dickinson” for voice and piano. In the liner notes
Vivian Perlis writes that the songs present special challenges
for the performers as they are cast in “irregular meters and
stanzas (with) wide jumps in the vocal lines, and difficult
chromatic passages for the pianist”. Well the St Paul Chamber
Orchestra have no problem with this orchestral version and Dawn
Upshaw sings them as if they’d been written just for her. It
is difficult to imagine anyone who could sing them more convincingly.
She deals with the challenges as if they didn’t exist. All the
words of all the songs are included in the booklet though one
hardly needs them as Dawn Upshaw’s diction is superlative and
nothing is lost in the singing. Their inclusion does however
enable the listener to understand the motivation that convinced
Copland to set this beautifully lyrical poetry. Although the
work initially received a cool reception the songs are now recognised
as being among Copland’s greatest achievements.
The
two “fillers” on this disc are a selection of three pieces from
Copland’s ballet “Billy the Kid”. He re-orchestrated these for
a reduced orchestra and published them individually. They are
lovingly played. I wish I had the whole ballet played by this
great chamber orchestra that sadly receives no write-up in the
booklet! The remaining work is the result of a 1962 commission
from “Life” magazine to compose a short piece for piano students.
This he later orchestrated for a youth orchestra series, and
this has since become part of his catalogue of mature works.
I
am often struck by the extent to which the U.S., being a new
country (“Old American Songs” are, after all only about 150
or so years old!) has benefited from the influx of refugees
from Europe, especially in musical terms. One can cite so many
composers for the concert hall, film and TV and for the stage,
whose origins lie in these countries. Copland is in the first
rank of those whose skill has created an American music, quite
distinct from that of their own roots. A great disc.
Steve Arloff
Thomas Hampson (bar)*
