Songs My Mother Taught Me CD Notes
Dame Joan Sutherland Sings Compilation of Mom's Pieces
May 8, 2009
Here is a lovely CD for Mother's Day. Sung and interpreted by Australian soprano Dame Joan Sutherland, "Songs My Mother Taught Me" consists of 23 tracks. It is a re-master of the 1972 album that Sutherland and Richard Bonynge originally recorded consisting of the first 16 tracks.
Joan Sutherland Brief Profile
Australian soprano Dame Joan Alston Sutherland is famous for her magnificent tone and brilliant coloratura voice, in particular, for Donizetti and Bellini. Sutherland was born in Sydney November 7, 1926. Before studying at the Royal College of Music in London, she started education in Sydney and made her debut at the age of 25.
Although her Covent Garden debut was in 1952, her recognition came seven years later, in 1959, when she played the role of Lucia in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. Her main guidance comes from her husband, Richard Bonynge, Australian conductor and pianist, who has virtually conducted all of her performances.
Songs My Mother Taught Me Album First 16 Tracks
In preparing the album, Sutherland reminisces her childhood in Sydney when she heard these songs from her mother and later she was taught some. Her mother had a mezzo-soprano voice but did not care to make singing as a career. The first 16 tracks are from the original album.
1. Songs My Mother Taught Me, Antonin Dvorak
2. Auf flugeln des Gesanges, Felix Mendelssohn
3. Homing, Teresa Del Riego
4. Oh! Si les fleurs avaient des yeux, Jules Massenet
5. Serenade, Quand tu chantes, Charles Gounod
6. Bonnie Mary of Argyll, S. Nelson
7. Le Rosignol, Leo Delibes
8. I came with a Song, Frank La Forge
9. I was Dreaming, Aug. W. Juncker
10. Si mes vers avaient des ailes, Hahn
11. La Crepuscule, Jules Massenet
12. Der Kuckkuck, Abt
13. Peer Gynt – Solveig's Song, Edvard Grieg
14. Midsummer, Amy Worth
15. Oh! Quand je dors, Franz Liszt
16. Les filles de Cadix, Leo Delibes
CD Album Tracks 17-23
The last 7 tracks, from 17 to 23, have been added, songs considered as regularly associated with Dame Sutherland's "lighter side" including very popular ones like Flotow's "The Last Rose of Summer," Bishop's "Home, Sweet Home" and Arditi's "Il bacio" (The Kiss.) For the operetta lovers, there's always the famous Merry Widow of Lehar, where "Vilja Lied" or the song of Vilja is taken from.
17. Il bacio, Luigi Arditi
18. Mattinata, Ruggero Leoncavallo
19. Martha – "The Last Rose of Summer", Friedrich von Flotow
20. The Bohemian Girl – "I dreamt I dwell in marble halls", Michael Balfe
21. Home, Sweet Home, Henry Bishop
22. The Merry Widow – "Vilja Lied", Franz Lehar
23. Casanova – "Nuns" Chorus, Johann Strauss
The CD collection lasts for an hour and 15 minutes of loved classical songs. Considering her famous dramatic roles in bel canto opera, Songs My Mother Taught Me is simply perfect for the enigmatic voice of Dame Joan Sutherland, one of Australia's greatest opera sopranos.
Other CD Album Information
New Philharmonia Orchestra (tracks 1-16, 19-23); London Symphony Orchestra (tracks 17-18);
Solo harp for track 21, Tina Bonifacio; Ambrosian Light Opera Chorus (Tracks 22-23);
Chorus Master, James McCarthy; Conductor, Richard Bonynge
Label: © 2001 Decca and © 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
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