While early American art songs followed European classical
models, modern works show the increasing influence of
popular genres, from cabaret to jazz and, recently,
even pop and rock music.
From “old
masterworks” written in 1978 to truly contemporary
music written in mid-2003, the songs on this CD vividly
demonstrate some of the new directions the American
art song tradition has taken. The music would be equally
at home in a concert hall, theater, cabaret, or nice
piano bar. Many of the songs are recorded here for the
first time.
The featured
work, The Poetry of Donald Rumsfeld,
uses for its lyrics the exact words of the U.S. Secretary
of Defense. Really. Find out more at the Poetry
of Donald Rumsfeld home page.
 The
Cabaret Songs by William
Bolcom reflect various popular styles. “Song of
Black Max” is in the German cabaret tradition
of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. “Waitin”
evokes an African-American spiritual. “George”
is a lounge-lizard homage to a famous aria (“Un
bel di”) from Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly.
The
Early Frogs is a memorably over-the-top
 ode
from the late 19th century. It can be found in the delightful
collection, The World’s Worst Poetry
(Prion Books). The composer has set this awful poem
as a soaring lyrical piece—accompanied by croaking
frogs.
 The
Three Nursery Rhymes are
based on old Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes—removed
from later editions—in which bad things happen
to misbehaving children. San Francisco composer Jerry
Mueller uses jazzy settings to bring these poems to
life.
 Finally,
the Five Lewis Carroll Poems
by one of America’s great art song composers,
John Duke, are from the famous novels Alice in Wonderland
and Alice Through the Looking Glass. They include
the classic tale “Jabberwocky” and the unusual
“Duchess’ Lullaby.”
Track List
Bryant Kong
The Poetry of Donald Rumsfeld
(2003) 13:34
1. The Unknown 1:05
2. Glass Box 2:57
3. A Confession 1:54
4. Happenings 2:22
5. The Digital Revolution 1:10
6. The Situation 1:43
7. Clarity 2:10
William
Bolcom
Selected Cabaret Songs
(1978, 1981) 12:08
8. Amor 2:59
9. Song of Black Max 3:07
10. Waitin 2:04
11. George 3:52
Bryant Kong
12. The Early Frogs (2003) 2:26
Jerry
Mueller
Three Nursery Rhymes (1990) 5:50
13. Three children sliding on the ice 1:22
14. Baby, baby, naughty baby 1:45
15. This is the house that Jack built 2:39
John
Duke
Five Lewis Carroll Poems (1982) 12:24
16. The Lobster Quadrille 2:26
17. The Little Crocodile 1:33
18. Jabberwocky 4:44
19. The Mock Turtle’s Song 2:27
20. The Duchess’ Lullaby 1:06
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