 The music of Ralph Vaughan Williams has provided singers with a wealth of vocal repertoire, and for baritones his song cycle Songs of Travel surely holds pride of place. Set to poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson, the cycle presents a traveler in a variety of settings; marching off into the countryside, reflecting on the beauty of nature, recalling happy days long past. ‘Bright is the ring of words’ considers the legacy of an artist, affirming that poetry and song live on even ‘after the singer is dead’. It is a fitting text for a performer of art song, a testament to the transcendent power of words and music. We celebrate the many great artists of the past who still live on in the present day through their works, and we look to the artists of tomorrow who will continue to provide humanity with words that ring brightly. Recorded at our gala concert in November 2019, ‘Bright is the ring of words’ features frequent Fourth Coast collaborator and chairman of the board of directors Dana Brown on piano.
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Today Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in state in the nation’s capitol, the first woman to be so honored. She spent her career advocating for women’s rights and gender equality and leaves behind a legacy that has inspired countless citizens. This past week I have reflected fondly on the times that I was fortunate to personally interact with Justice Ginsburg. A well-known lover of opera, she made regular pilgrimages to the Santa Fe Opera where I was lucky to perform over several summers. She was also involved in a number of panel discussions concerning opera as it relates to the law, and I count myself blessed to have taken part in one of those sessions. (There is nothing quite like performing a Gilbert & Sullivan song only to have its contents immediately dissected by a justice of the Supreme Court!) It is an experience I will always treasure. This week’s Art Song Fix looks back on our American Woman concerts, which celebrated many of the civil rights advancements that Justice Ginsburg tirelessly worked for over a period of decades.  Portrait of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Constance P. Beaty (2016) American composer Jennifer Higdon utilizes texts from the Civil War era in her song cycle Civil Words, among them an excerpt from Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address. Lincoln speaks to a nation at war: With malice toward none, with charity for all…let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds. The mood is somber, the piano part thick and plodding, the harmonies searching desperately for resolution. Higdon paints a vivid picture of the sixteenth president: a leader seeking to inspire hope and reconciliation in a country entrenched in battle. As the United States continues to experience civil unrest in the present day, Lincoln’s words seem as timely as ever. May we soon achieve a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations. Rest well, RBG. Lincoln’s Final was recorded in November of 2019 at St. Paul and the Redeemer in Hyde Park, and features pianist Maria Sumareva.
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SUBSCRIBEAboutHello, 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
December 2020
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