The Mermaid in Classical Music

by Hermione Lai , Interlude

One of my all-time feel-good movies is the animated musical fantasy film “The Little Mermaid.” Originally released in 1989 by Walt Disney Pictures, the movie takes us to the kingdom of Atlantica. Princess Ariel, a 16-year-old mermaid, is unhappy with her underwater life and fascinated by the human world. She falls in love with the human Prince Eric, and after much adventure, Ariel permanently turns into a human and marries her Prince.

Illustration in Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid”

Thirty years later, in 2023, Walt Disney Pictures released a remake of that movie, this time featuring real actors. The plot once again features the young mermaid who makes a deal with a sea witch to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so that she can discover the world above water and impress a Prince.

Mermaids

So what is actually a mermaid? Basically, it is a fabled marine creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, and in Europe, they were natural beings, like fairies, with magical prophetic powers. Also occasionally called sirens, they loved music and singing.

The Little Mermaid (1913) – sculpture by sculptor Edvard Eriksen

Some folktales record marriages between mermaids, who might assume human form and men. And while mermaids are often kind, they can also be dangerous. If offended, they are said to cause floods, shipwrecks, or other disasters. In European folklore, the concept of mermaids as beautiful and seductive singers seems to originate in Greek mythology. And it might be hard to believe, but actual mermaid sightings have still been reported in 2023.

The Fairy Tale by Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen

As part of a collection of fairy tales for children, Hans Christian Andersen published “The Little Mermaid” in 1837. This enticing story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea to gain a human soul. It is one of Andersen’s most beloved fairy tales, and it inspired books, comics, animations, films, operas, and much classical music. That’s all very exciting, so we decided to put together a little blog featuring music associated with mermaids.

Franz Joseph Haydn: “The Mermaid’s Song”

Haydn in London

Franz Joseph Hadyn made a couple of trips to England, and he was soon engaged to arrange a number of folksongs. The country was caught up in a great passion for collecting these melodies, and the publisher William Napier was looking for musical arrangements of his “100 Scottish Folksongs.” Essentially, Haydn needed to provide suitable accompaniments for the “wild and pathetic sweetness of these melodies.” In addition, Haydn was also busy composing two sets of six “Original Canzonettas” primarily for the profitable amateur market.

It has been suggested that Haydn was deeply inspired by Anne Hunter, the widow of the famous surgeon Sir John Hunter. Anne fancied herself a polished poetess writing in the taste of the day. Critics have suggested that her verses were unoriginal, usually soulful and sentimental, and with a dash of Gothic gloom. Each of the six Haydn Canzonettas opens with a song to the sea, and “The Mermaid’s Song” was certainly inspired by the first line of text, “Now the dancing sunbeams play.” Haydn writes a shimmering and glittering piano prelude before the Mermaid calls, “Follow me!” luring the listener into her underwater realm.

FAIL! – Onstage kind!

by Janet Horvath, Interlude

Before we enter that hallowed space—the concert stage— there are the ritual last minute precautions—men: fly zipped, check; women: hooks and buttons fastened especially in the front, check; string players: extra strings, check; oboe and bassoon players: good reeds soaking in water, check; music, check; brass players: valve oil, check; flute and clarinet players: swabs, check.

But no matter how prepared we are, unforeseen calamities can and do occur in performance. Batons, mutes and bows slip out of hands clattering and careening down the stage and sometimes into the audience.

Usually we are prepared for the inevitable string snapping. If it is the soloist or concertmaster, someone will hastily trade violins and then a musician at the back will as unobtrusively and quickly as possible change the string. When it comes to a cello that is easier said than done. My six-foot-four stand partner had a knack for breaking even the thickest string—the C string causing an exploding sound, throwing the entire instrument out of whack. How did cellists react to broken strings on stage?

Guy Johnston BBC Young Musician of the Year 2000 

Midori Goto

A famous “fail” occurred in 1985 when the then fourteen-year-old Midori had to swap her violin twice due to two broken strings during a performance with Leonard Bernstein. It was her Tanglewood debut with the Boston Symphony. She was performing the 5th movement of Bernstein’s own Serenade After Plato’s Symposium. In the heat of the action Midori broke the uppermost string—the E string. She quickly traded violins with the concertmaster. A few moments later she broke that violin’s E string. This time she was passed the associate concertmaster’s violin—all without missing a beat! 

Certainly I’ve witnessed some startling equipment failures. Yuri Bashmet, world-renowned violist, had a spectacular “fail” during a concert. He was playing his 1758 Testore viola. Suddenly the entire bridge, which holds up all the strings, literally exploded. Dazed, all he could do was shrug.

Yuri Bashmet’s 1758 viola falls apart during performance!

We musicians are often worried about falling: we might trip dodging all the onstage clutter of chairs, stands, microphones, instrument stands, and risers. Sadly, there have been several well-publicized falls of Maestros falling of their podiums James Levine included. Our principal guest conductor in the 1980’s, Klaus Tennstedt, who was a large man, once came tumbling off the podium toward me. I jumped up with my cello, and grabbed Tennstedt to steady him with the cello between us!

Conductor falls off podium 

It was particularly horrifying when Itzhak Perlman fell in front of our eyes. Fortunately he was not hurt. Another violinist had carried Perlman’s violin. Perlman refused anyone’s help, got up, and then played brilliantly.

Conductor “fails” are more common. They are known to lose their tempers but rarely do the sparks fly as they did with Arturo Toscanini the great Italian conductor of the NBC Orchestra, who threw temper tantrums regularly. There are two famous stories of him actually causing bodily harm. Once, trying to mediate between two feuding musicians, Toscanini started pummeling one of the players with a ferocious intensity. Another time in Turin, in 1919, Toscanini snapped a musician’s bow near the violinist’s face causing injuries and narrowly missing the player’s eye. Despite apologies and some financial compensation the musician sued. Toscanini was acquitted.

Audiences cause concert “fails” too. Recently at a Toronto Symphony concert an elderly gentleman turned up his hearing aids to better hear the mesmerizing opening of the Shostakovich Violin Concerto played by Julian Rachlin. The cellos and basses begin very softly and in a low register. Then the violinist entered playing without vibrato—starkly. A very loud high-pitched squealing ensued. The conductor stopped the soloist and the orchestra, as the ushers scrambled to find the perpetrator. We sat quietly waiting until finally the gentleman was located and led out of the hall saying, “What’s going on? I can’t hear anything!”

An orchestral concert is not usually the site of fistfights, but there have been two of late. In March of 2012 Maestro Riccardo Muti was conducting a performance of Brahms Symphony No. 2. One usually sits motionless and restrained in symphony concerts, but that evening two men started fighting in one of the boxes. A 30-year-old man started punching an older man over a disagreement regarding their seats. Muti continued the concert during the melee, turning around to throw irritated glares at the perpetrators until they could be subdued. No one was charged.

During the first twenty minutes at the Boston Pops’ opening night of 2007, a scream was heard. Conductor Keith Lockhart gave the signal for the orchestra to stop. A scuffle had broken out in the balconies apparently after one man told another to be quiet. “House security and Boston police stopped the fight, and the audience members were escorted out of the hall,” the Boston Symphony Orchestra said in a statement. The concert resumed with cheers from the audience.

Ildebrando D’Arcangelo in Carmen © ROH/Catherine Ashmore, 2009

Opera patrons more often witness “fails.” One occurred during a performance with Sir Thomas Beecham who was known for his quick wit. In a 1930s production of Carmen at Covent Garden, live animals were part of the action. One of the horses proceeded to ‘do his business’ on the floor. “My God what a critic!” said Sir Thomas Beecham.

We try very hard to keep the show going on no matter what happens. The audience often is unaware of any mishaps onstage and they can enjoy the glorious music uninterrupted. But audiences do love the drama. Anything can happen at a concert hall!

Millöcker: Tarantella (Anzoletto sang: Komm mia bella)

Marvelous music from Karl Millöcker's brilliant operetta "Gasparone". Sora is performed by Topsy Küppers, but sung by the fabulous Rita Bartos. Choreography by Irene Mann. Posted on the 180th birthday of the great Austrian operetta composer Karl Millöcker (29.04.1842 - 31.12.1899).

Nicolai: Overture from "The Merry Wives of Windsor" with Andrew Manze | ...

Excerpt from the opening concert of the 2021/2022 season: The NDR Radiophilharmonie and Andrew Manze perform the overture from Otto Nicolai's opera "The Merry Wives of Windsor" (German: "Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor"). OTTO NICOLAI Overture from the opera "The Merry Wives of Windsor" Andrew Manze, conductor NDR Radiophilharmonie Recorded on September, 11th, 2021 at the Kuppelsaal Hanover Congress Centre

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William Matheus Sullivan Foundation bestows $85,000 on 13 Opera Singers

Recipients of the Sullivan Award engage in a five-year initiative involving grants to prepare for upcoming roles.

BY MB LIFESTYLE

Nov 16, 2023 11:23 PM 

The William Matheus Sullivan Musical Foundation awarded $85,000 to 13 early career opera singers who auditioned for the Foundation in New York on Oct. 29 and 30, 2023. Sullivan Award winners participate in a five-year program of grants for preparing new roles, a unique feature of the Foundation's professional development support.

The seven winners of $10,000 Sullivan Awards and five years of role preparation assistance are sopranos Amber R. Manroe, Murrella Parton, and Teresa Perrotta; mezzo-sopranos Meridian Prall and Michelle Mariposa; tenor Moises Salazar; and bass-baritone Le Bu.  

The panel also awarded $2,500 Career Development Grants to six singers: sopranos Mary Evelyn Hangley and Kathleen O’Mara; countertenor Kyle Tingzon; tenors Lawrence Barasa and Thomas Cilluffo; and baritone Sankara Harouna.

Audition judges were Sullivan trustees Susanne Mentzer, Evans Mirageas, and George Shirley, joined by Khori Dastoor, General Director and CEO of Houston Grand Opera. Application judges were Sullivan trustees Erie Mills and Marietta Simpson, along with past Sullivan grant recipient Patrick Carfizzi. The audition pianists were Adam Nielsen and Jinhee Park.

Awards designated in memory of distinguished Sullivan Foundation board members are Meridian Prall’s award for soprano Rose Bampton; Murrella Parton’s award for soprano Gail Robinson, director of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and National Council Auditions; Amber R. Monroe’s award for mezzo-soprano Betty Allen, the second president of the Harlem School for the Arts; Moisés Salazar’s award for tenor David Lloyd, executive director of the Sullivan Foundation and director of the Juilliard American Opera Center; and Le Bu’s award for baritone Theodor Uppman.

Blind pianist Lucy stuns Royal Albert Hall with breathtaking Debussy debut

Blind pianist Lucy stuns Royal Albert Hall with breathtaking Debussy debut | Classic FM Live

By Kyle Macdonald

 

Watch a very special performance, as the exceptional pianist who won Channel 4’s ‘The Piano’ plays deeply emotional Debussy to an audience of 6,000 in London’s iconic theatre. 

Monday night saw an incredible piano debut on one of the world’s biggest and most iconic stages.

Playing at Classic FM Live with Viking was a musician whose talent and deep relationship with music has stunned the classical world. Teenage pianist Lucy played Claude Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1 to the packed hall.

The remarkable young pianist won the Channel 4 series The Piano earlier this year, aged just 13. Her opening performance of a Chopin nocturne on a train station piano left judge Lang Lang stunned and lost for words.

From that moment, a new piano star was born. Lucy played in May’s Coronation Concert for King Charles at Windsor Castle, and has now continued her incredible journey with this Classic FM concert and a Royal Albert Hall debut.

Lucy, from West Yorkshire, is blind and neurodivergent. She is taught by Daniel Bath, a teacher who she first met when she was three years old. Daniel was beside his student on stage as she made her debut on Monday.

Watch her performance above. Her interpretation of the French composer’s music captivated the huge audience, holding them in an awed silence before a huge ovation at the end. What a moment it was.

Lucy plays at Classic FM Live with Viking. Picture: Matt Crossick

The Arabesque is a piece Lucy has made her own. In March, she played it at London’s Royal Festival Hall, as part of the grand finale of the TV series where she took top honours.

The concert saw a night of incredible solo performances, with British-Iranian pianist Arsha Kaviani, guitarist Miloš Karadaglic, and brilliant young violinist – and Classic FM Rising Star – Luka Faulisi all sharing the stage with Lucy.

Along with the Debussy, Lucy also played Bach’s beautiful C-major Prelude from the Well-tempered Klavier.

You can hear her performances and all the night’s musical magic by catching up on Friday’s exclusive broadcast of Classic FM Live with Viking here on Global Player. YOu can also watch the full concert soon on Sky Arts.

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Berget Lewis, Candy Dulfer, Edsilia Rombley and Glennis Grace are the Ladies of Soul. The Dutch supergroup pays tribute to their favorite pop- and soul music during their annual liveshow in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. The ladies are accompanied by a top notch live band and surprising local and international guest artists like Billy Ocean, En Vogue, Sheila E, Oleta Adams, JT Taylor (former lead singer Kool & The Gang).

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Spandau Ballet - True - Live 2009

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Spandau Ballet playing True Live on Children in Need on 20 November 2009. I rather liked this classic song.

Air Supply's 'The Lost In Love Experience 2023' live in Laguna on Dec. 15 sold out

BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT

Nov 16, 2023 06:33 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Air Supply achieved widespread success in the 1970s and 1980s. The duo comprises singer-songwriter, guitarist Graham Russell, and lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock. They had several hits worldwide, including eight top-5 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100.

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In less than a month, Air Supply will be performing live in the Philippines! As they return to Sta, get ready to sing along with the iconic Australian soft rock duo. Rosa, Laguna, for another sold-out show at the Santa Rosa Sports Coliseum on Dec. 15, 2023, for their “The Lost in Love Experience 2023” concert tour. 

Air Supply achieved widespread success in the 1970s and 1980s. The duo comprises singer-songwriter, guitarist Graham Russell, and lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock. They had several hits worldwide, including eight top-5 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. 

One of the hits is their timeless classic song “Lost in Love,” released in Australia in 1978 and again soared to the top of the charts. It reached Clive Davis, founder and president of Arista Records,who immediately offered Air Supply a record deal. The song was released in 1980 and became the fastest-selling in the world, topping the charts in many countries. “All Out of Love” was the second single released and again topped the worldwide charts. 

Seven consecutive Top 5 singles at that time equaled The Beatles’ run. The albums Lost in Love, The One That You Love, Now and Forever, and The Greatest Hits sold more than 20 million copies. “Lost in Love” was named Song of the Year in 1980, and along with the other singles, it sold more than 10 million copies. 

Air Supply released their fourth live album, “The Lost in Love Experience,” in 2019 and kicked off the same-titled world tour that captivated audiences worldwide. They were the first Western group to tour China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. Some of these countries have forbidden pop music to cross their borders, but this does not restrict the population explosion of Air Supply’s supporters as this iconic duo has sold out shows all over the world, including their upcoming show in Laguna this December, just like their first time at Laguna in 2018. Ovation Productions promote both shows. Blast TV is the official media partner.  

Alban Berg: Violin Concerto 'To the memory of an angel'

Alban Berg’s violin concerto ‘to the memory of an angel performed by Daniel Rowland at the Stiftfestival 2018. Premiere recording of this arrangement by Wolfgang Abendroth for violin, organ and string quintet. Daniel Rowland, solo violin Francesco Sica & Asia Jimenez Anton de Vez, violin Joel Waterman, viola Julian Arp, cello Zoran Markovic, doublebass Wolfgang Abendroth, organ Concert as part of the 14th Stiftfestival on August 20 2018 in the Plechelmusbasiliek in Oldenzaal. Video registration by Concerto Media.