FOURTH COAST ENSEMBLE
  • About
    • The Organization
    • Quartet & Staff Members
  • On Stage
    • Upcoming >
      • 2022-23 Season
      • 2022 Gala: Chicago Public Art in Song
      • Laughterreise: Liebeslieder Edition
      • Chicago songSLAM
      • Fine Folk
    • Past Seasons >
      • 2021-22 Season >
        • A Brush With Our Time, world premiere
        • Laughterreise
        • Roaring Twenties
        • Chicago songSLAM
        • End of Season Talent Show
      • 2021 HD Season >
        • Soprano | Mezzo Duo
        • Tenor | Bass Duo
        • Quartet Remix
        • songSLAM
      • 2019-20 Season >
        • Songs of Fourth Coast
        • American Woman
        • Between the Lines
        • Four by Four
  • Blog
  • Support
    • Give
  • Contact
  • Shop

Britten's Mother Comfort

2/22/2021

0 Comments

 
By Sarah van der Ploeg
Picture
Britten at work in his Aldeburgh studio, Photo by Kurt Hutton
English composer Benjamin Britten is primarily known amongst vocal music aficionados for his works for tenor, from Peter Grimes to the Canticles. Today, however, we spotlight a beautiful example of his work written for two female singers: “Mother Comfort,” from Two Ballads. 

Written in 1936 for Swiss singers Sophie and Colette Wyss, “Mother Comfort” sets a poem by Montagu Slater, later to become Britten’s librettist for the aforementioned Grimes. The text sets the two women in an ambiguous conflict with one another, at first asking whether they should even be talking together at all. It seems their friendship is strained by common interest in the same man, wondering to each other “Will you be Mother Comfort or shall I?” 

As the questions alternate between the two women, Britten echoes their back-and-forth with musical lines that intersect. Consonance and dissonance dip in and out, with the soprano and mezzo parts switching lines back and forth at different times. Each woman gets her own chance to express her feelings to the other, then returns to duo lines that weave betwixt and between. The writing requires strength and independence in each singer’s solo abilities, and simultaneously careful matching of timbre, phrasing, and text so that each voice blends and exchanges with the other to leave the listener guessing who is who.

​
It is fortunate for me, then, that my mezzo duet partner in this work is Bridget - captured here in a recording from our parlor concert with pianist Dana Brown in 2019. One of the greatest joys of my work with Fourth Coast Ensemble has been our work together finding our distinctive blend, and being able to play my soprano lines off Bridget’s rich tone and expressive music-making. And it's an amplified gift as we continue to grow in our independent artistries, simultaneously strengthening our combined musical and vocal powers in partnership.
That being the case, we are so excited to share our first duo concert, performed last Saturday, February 20th, through the power of livestreaming, with the phenomenal Kuang-Hao Huang on piano.  We can't wait to share more musical melding - including more Britten! - with you all.

Origin Stories: Soprano | Mezzo Duo
 is available for streaming access here through midnight CST tonight (2/22/21).  Single tickets are $20.
Picture

Author

Soprano Sarah van der Ploeg has been a member of Fourth Coast Ensemble since 2017. A lover of many musical styles, she came to classical singing from origins in musical theater and viola by way of arts policy, and still believes all of those pieces make a more perfect whole. Sarah particularly loves art song’s ability to tell a huge story in a compact, intimate, exciting package.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    SUBSCRIBE

    * indicates required

    About

    Hello, and welcome to the blog!  We are Fourth Coast Ensemble, Chicago's classical vocal quartet.  Join a different member of our ensemble each week for insights into our favorite art songs, links to archival and new recordings, and reflections on why we value and continue to come back to this musical medium.  We proudly present, your weekly #artsongfix!

    Archives

    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020

    Categories

    All
    African American Art Song
    American Art Song
    Animal Themed
    By Ace
    By Bridget
    By David
    By Sarah
    Chicago Art Song
    Christmas
    Comedic Art Song
    Crossover Jazz
    Crossover Musical Theater
    Duets
    English Art Song
    Filipino Song
    Food Themed
    French Mélodie
    Friendship
    German Lieder
    Love
    Mexican Art Song
    Mourning
    Nature
    On Music
    Quartets
    Social Justice
    Songs For Bass Baritone
    Songs For Mezzo Soprano
    Songs For Soprano
    Songs For Tenor
    Trios
    Vocal Chamber Music
    War
    Women's Rights

    RSS Feed

Picture
4955 S. Kimbark Ave.
Chicago, IL 60615
​
Website photography by Elliot Mandel Photography
  • About
    • The Organization
    • Quartet & Staff Members
  • On Stage
    • Upcoming >
      • 2022-23 Season
      • 2022 Gala: Chicago Public Art in Song
      • Laughterreise: Liebeslieder Edition
      • Chicago songSLAM
      • Fine Folk
    • Past Seasons >
      • 2021-22 Season >
        • A Brush With Our Time, world premiere
        • Laughterreise
        • Roaring Twenties
        • Chicago songSLAM
        • End of Season Talent Show
      • 2021 HD Season >
        • Soprano | Mezzo Duo
        • Tenor | Bass Duo
        • Quartet Remix
        • songSLAM
      • 2019-20 Season >
        • Songs of Fourth Coast
        • American Woman
        • Between the Lines
        • Four by Four
  • Blog
  • Support
    • Give
  • Contact
  • Shop