Recording © 2016 Soprani Compagni
Recorded at Studio D, Summitville, IN; Darrell Powell, Engineer
In March of 2015, Soprani Compagni obtained a grant from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities to put together a team of 12 award-winning, published composers from across the United States and Korea for the purpose of commissioning new works themed around Portraits of Women. Soprano repertoire often depicts limited portrayals of women, themed around love for her man, external beauty and unfulfilled dreams. Portraits of Women is an expansion of soprano duet repertoire emphasizing the contributions of women in our society who have embraced their true value and calling, and have dared to change their world. This project involves historical characters, including women from the Bible, as well as fictional characters that represent issues common among women throughout the ages. Soprani Compagni hopes that this new music encourages listeners to celebrate the women in their lives, and inspires more sopranos to collaborate through performances about women, by women, connecting hearts and lives across generations.
This recording project was supported by the Networking Initiative Grant from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and through the Lilly Faculty Scholarship Fund by Indiana Wesleyan University.
Portraits of Women, Volume I: Art Song
Fresh Patterns, by Lori Laitman
Texts by Emily Dickinson & Annie Finch
Track 1: It’s All I Have to Bring Today (1:21)
Track 2: A Letter to Emily Dickinson (3:31)
Track 3: Fresh Patterns (4:51)
Available through Classical Vocal Reprints (www.classicalvocalrep.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Fresh+Patterns)
And through Lori Laitman: https://www.artsongs.com/
Track 4: Two Women, by Jody J. Nagel (6:03)
Text by Anonymous
Available through Jody J. Nagel: https://www.forevermissed.com/jodynagel/about
Track 5: By Night when Others Soundly Slept, by David Horace Davies (5:59)
Text by Anne Bradstreet
Available through David Davies https://www.davidhoracedavies.com/
Difficult Loves, by Benjamin Williams
Text by Sara Teasdale
Track 6: Faces (1:45)
Track 7: Fault (2:12)
Track 8: In a Railroad Station (1:36)
Available through Benjamin Williams https://williamscomposer.com/
Track 9: Who Am I? The Story of Mary and Elizabeth by Todd Syswerda
Music & Lyrics by Todd Syswerda (4:22)
Available through Todd Syswerda: https://www.toddsyswerda.com/
Mary & Martha, by David Fuentes
Lyrics by Nikki Grimes
Track 10: Inside My Name (6:54)
Track 11: I Must Prepare (8:54)
Track 12: We Each Have Our Part (9:22)
Available through David Fuentes https://www.davidfuentesmusic.com/blank-1
Track 13: Shin-Sa-Im-Dang by Joopoong Kim
Music & Lyrics by Joopoong Kim (6:41)
English Translation by Woojong Kim
Available through Joopoong Kim https://www.easysong.com/search/songs/song-copyright-holder-information.aspx?s=909562
Mark Twain Quotes, by Doug Harbin
Words by Mark Twain
Track 14: But Who Prays? (2:41)
Track 15: Lord Save Us (1:43)
Track 16: Forgiveness (1:11)
Track 17: Let Us Not Be Too Particular (0:54)
Track 18: Man Was Made (1:48)
Track 19: No Sinner (0:31)
Track 20: The Truth (1:13)
Available through American Composer Alliance (www.composers.com/doug-harbin) and through Doug Harbin: https://composers.com/collections/doug-harbin?srsltid=AfmBOooTGWE9TuzXJWnq_5xTnDo7psPAAAGcBax87daSIr7X7DHgFhkm
Portraits of Women, Volume II: Opera & Cantata
Track 1: Scrapbookers by Leanna Kirchoff
Music & Lyrics by Leanna Kirchoff (14:02)
Available through Leanna Kirchoff https://www.leannakirchoff.com/
Sisters Noelle and Carol attend a scrapbooking party to prepare an album for their parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, and find themselves drawn down memory lane and closer to each other.
Track 2: Juliet
Music & Lyrics by Philip Seward (12:14)
Available through Philip Seward: http://philipseward.com/
During the action of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, this scene could have taken place between the characters of the Nurse and Lady Capulet.
Track 3: Beneath Suspicion by Jesse Ayers
Music & Lyrics by Jesse Ayers (20:01)
Available through Jesse Ayers: https://jesseayers.com/
Based upon the true story of abolitionist Elizabeth Van Lew (“Bet”) and her freed slave, Mary Bowser, who gathered intelligence for Ulysses Grant during the American Civil War.
Track 4: The Way Home by Robert Denham
Music & Lyrics by Robert Denham (8:11)
Available through Robert Denham: http://www.robertdenham.com/
This scene depicts two women, a middle-aged daughter along with her elderly mother, as they drive to a convalescent hospital for the first time.
One Life: The Rachel Carson Project, by Bruce Trinkley; Lyrics by Jason Charnesky
Track 5: Opening (3:54)
Track 6: A Walk in the Woods (2:28)
Track 7: Spring Song (2:14)
Track 8: Silent Spring (2:47)
Track 9: Rachel’s Creed (7:52)
Track 10:Finale (2:37)
Available through Bruce Trinkley: https://www.brucetrinkley.com/
Standard Repertoire
Repertoire for Two Sopranos – Bibliography
© Soprani Compagni, 2013
German
Brahms, Johannes. Duets, Op. 20, 61, 66, 75. New York: C.F. Peters, Nr. 3909.
Cornelius, Peter. 10 Duets. Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 2355.
Lübeck, Vincent. Willkommen süsser Bräutigam. JK209.05.07 http://icking-music-archive.org
Loewe, Carl. Duetten-Trifolium, 3 Duets, Op. 104. Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 3550.
Spohr, Louis. Drei Duetten für Zwei Sopran, Op. 108. Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 3529.
Schumann, Robert. Duette. New York: C.F. Peters, Nr. 2392.
Italian
Carissimi, Giacomo. Six Duets. Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 3250.
Clari, Giovanni. “Non ti sdegnar.” Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 3257.
Landshoff, Ludwig, ed. Italian Chamber Duets of the 17th and 18th Centuries. Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 3251.
Monteverdi, Claudio. Sechs Kammerduette (from the 7th Book of Madrigals). New York: C.F. Peters, Catalog Nr. 3824a.
French
Berlioz, Hector. “Pleure, Pauvre Colette.” Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. 2303.
Fauré, Gabriel. “Puisqu’ ici bas toute âme.” Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. 0761.
Fauré, Gabriel. “Tarentelle: Aux cieux la lune monte et luit.” Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 1426.
Massenet, Jules. “Joie!” Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 3507.
Russian
Glinka, Mikhail I., “3. You aren’t coming again.” 3 Duets. Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 3535.
English
Beach, Amy Marcy. Songs of the Sea, Op. 10, No. 2 & No. 3. Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 4584.
Britten, Benjamin. “Spring Carol.” A Ceremony of Carols. Boosey & Hawkes, 1943.
Laitman, Lori. Fresh Patterns. Enchanted Knickers Music (BMI) www.artsongs.com. Riverdale, NY: Classical Vocal Reprints, Catalog No. CVR 3733.
Nagel, Jody. “Two Women.” Daleville, IN: Jomar Press, 2009.
Various Languages
Martienssen, Franziska, ed. Operan-Duette für zwei Frauenstimmen und Klavier. New York: C.F. Peters, Nr. 3839b.
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