# Barber's 'knoxville, summer 1915'



## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

I want to own a recording or two of this work. I used to have the original premiered by Eleanor Steber (sp) and Serge Koussivitsky with BSO. Is this recording still the benchmark?


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

Karina Gauvin
Royal Scottish National Orchestra Marin Alsop

I find this recording very good!

I dont know about Eleanor Steber. I only found a quite old recording, where she sings beautiful, but the sound is not very good. I dont know if it is the recording you are refering to


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

I also find this version very nice:

Kathleen Battle
Orchestra of St. Luke's
Andre Previn


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

What a line up! Battle, Previn and St. Luke's - doesn't get much better than that!! and I can imagine Battle singing this wonderful orchestral song very well, indeed. Too bad about her Met debacle.



oskaar said:


> I also find this version very nice:
> 
> Kathleen Battle
> Orchestra of St. Luke's
> Andre Previn


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

oskaar said:


> Karina Gauvin
> Royal Scottish National Orchestra Marin Alsop
> 
> I find this recording very good!


That's the one I have. I previously downloaded another version, but this one made me delete it.


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## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

Measha Brueggergosman
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra
Roy Goodman










Sylvia McNair 
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra 
Yoel Levi


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

Will have to research Brueggergosman, have never heard of her. Thanks~



itywltmt said:


> Measha Brueggergosman
> Manitoba Chamber Orchestra
> Roy Goodman
> 
> ...


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## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

Wikipedia says:
Measha Brueggergosman (born Measha Gosman on June 28, 1977 in *Fredericton, New Brunswick*) is a *Canadian *soprano who performs both as an opera singer and concert artist. She has performed internationally and won numerous awards. Her recordings of both classical and popular music have also received awards.

She has an international career, and the last time I saw her was during official ceremonies for the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, when she sang the Olympic Hymn by Spiro Samaras. She seemed to have slimmed down quite a bit!


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

I just posted a New Thread to the Vocal Forum on Brueggersosman with a youtube clip of her singing the 3rd song of Mahler's Songs of the Wayfarer with a really fine reduced orchestra. She does a very good job, great diction and rhythm. The tone is good, but something bothers me - I'll have to hear more from her to form a better opine.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I love this composition, and I love the version by Dawn Upshaw and the Orchestra of St. Luke's under Zinman.

Amazon link.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I heard it live last year and agree it's a great work. I can vouch for the Naxos recording, but I think it's the only one I've heard. The one Barber did with Leontyne Price is reputed to be benchmark material, but it's pretty old.

He also did a song-cycle in French for male voice (baritone?) and piano, heard that in recital this year, but I forget the title now...


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Mélodies passagères, I presume.


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

I found a recording of Steber singing Knoxville, Fischer-Dieskau singing Dover Beach Songs, and L.Price singing the Hermit Songs. I listened to the samples and the sound was very good, indeed - F-Dieskau does a pretty good job (in the clip) with English. So, that's the one I ordered. And thanks to all for recs, I like to have several versions of music I love, and Knoxville: 1915 with E. Steber is one of several I plan to have.



Sid James said:


> I heard it live last year and agree it's a great work. I can vouch for the Naxos recording, but I think it's the only one I've heard. The one Barber did with Leontyne Price is reputed to be benchmark material, but it's pretty old.
> 
> He also did a song-cycle in French for male voice (baritone?) and piano, heard that in recital this year, but I forget the title now...


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Art Rock said:


> Mélodies passagères, I presume.


Yes that's it, thanks for reminding me, you certainly know your stuff in this area.

HERE is the review of that American art-song recital I heard that Barber work in. This might be of interest to Nighthawk or others here. There was good coverage of repertoire in that recital, it was very well done, imo.

Indeed, I just got a cd including William Bolcom's _Cabaret Songs_, which were included in that recital, but when I bought the cd, I didn't remember them, but I do now. I will shortly review those pieces on current listening thread, I just listened to them, and they were great to hear again...


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## mleghorn (May 18, 2011)

oskaar said:


> Karina Gauvin
> Royal Scottish National Orchestra Marin Alsop
> 
> I find this recording very good!


I'll 2nd that!


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

NightHawk said:


> I want to own a recording or two of this work. I used to have the original premiered by Eleanor Steber (sp) and Serge Koussivitsky with BSO. Is this recording still the benchmark?


Eleanor Steber actually commissioned Knoxville and recorded it again in 1950 for CBS with William Strickland conducting. It was paired with Hermit Songs performed by Leontyne Price with Barber at the piano. It does not matter a jot whether or not the sound is in the latest hi-fi because for obvious reasons these are very important recordings. What a wonderful singer Steber was ! If you only go for the latest isssues how will you ever know how Caruso sounded or the many, many greats from the past ? This is the only way to make valid judgements.


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## Frasier (Mar 10, 2007)

Sid James said:


> I heard it live last year and agree it's a great work. I can vouch for the Naxos recording, but I think it's the only one I've heard. The one Barber did with Leontyne Price is reputed to be benchmark material, but it's pretty old.


I utterly love that recording and it hasn't been superceded by more recent ones though the Upshaw is most pleasant. Let's face it, it's just a beautiful work. I might try a more recent recording though...as you say it was once the benchmark.


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

I bought the Steber, along with Fischer-Diskau singing Dover Beach, Price singing Hermit Songs, and the great Arroyo singing Andromache's Farewell. I am so happy with the entire recording and have been playing it constantly. thanks! (I posted this purchase to the Current Listening Thread)



moody said:


> Eleanor Steber actually commissioned Knoxville and recorded it again in 1950 for CBS with William Strickland conducting. It was paired with Hermit Songs performed by Leontyne Price with Barber at the piano. It does not matter a jot whether or not the sound is in the latest hi-fi because for obvious reasons these are very important recordings. What a wonderful singer Steber was ! If you only go for the latest isssues how will you ever know how Caruso sounded or the many, many greats from the past ? This is the only way to make valid judgements.


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

Price would be superb, no doubt. What do you think of Arroyo? Was astounded by her 'Adromache's Farewell' on same album.



Sid James said:


> I heard it live last year and agree it's a great work. I can vouch for the Naxos recording, but I think it's the only one I've heard. The one Barber did with Leontyne Price is reputed to be benchmark material, but it's pretty old.
> 
> He also did a song-cycle in French for male voice (baritone?) and piano, heard that in recital this year, but I forget the title now...


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