Barbara Hannigan: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert
Музыка
Jan. 26, 2018 | Tom Huizenga -- In these days of wireless earbuds, streams and podcasts, the notion of people gathering to hear a lone classical singer (with a pianist) perform densely structured art songs in a foreign tongue seems almost laughably quaint.
Yet the vocal recital, as a performance genre, is still alive. And one of the most memorable recitals I've witnessed in a long time sits on this page, in a condensed form, thanks to the extraordinary soprano Barbara Hannigan and her accompanist Reinbert de Leeuw.
The night before this Tiny Desk concert, the two musicians gave a beautiful and intense recital at Washington's Kennedy Center. The songs, all in German, came from a heady period in Vienna, when music was transitioning from the swells of romanticism to the uncharted waters of modernism. Four of those songs make up this Tiny Desk performance. The bonus here is that these impassioned dispatches become even more intimate.
Consider the opening song, Alexander Zemlinsky's "Empfängnis" (Conception). The harmonies are sweet, but almost too rich, like overripe fruit, when Hannigan sings lines like, "Und wie ich sehend meine Arme breite" (And as I open my arms with longing). You can hear the end of a musical era.
An indefatigable champion of new and modern music, Hannigan (who is also a conductor) has given the world premieres of more than 80 pieces. The voice is simply gorgeous - silvery, buttery-smooth throughout the registers, with crystalline top notes emerging from thin air and charged with emotion.
In Alma Mahler's "Licht in der Nacht" (Light in the Night), Hannigan taps into the mysterious sparkle of a little yellow star twinkling through black skies as de Leeuw's piano explores wayward harmonies. Hugo Wolf's "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt" (Only One Who Knows Longing) is a hymn to the yearning heart. De Leeuw explains that the key of G minor, in which the song is written, never materializes. It's all about the longing for G minor.
The final song, "Schenk mir deinen goldenen Kamm" (the first music by Arnold Schoenberg to grace the Tiny Desk), offers a double dose of sensuality. Hannigan's beautiful middle register and creamy phrasing paint the scene: Jesus asks Mary Magdalene for her comb because it will remind him every morning that she once kissed his hair. Hannigan calls the song "erotic" and she delivers on that feeling when, at the end, she cries out the name "Magdalena" with a lustrous, silken tone, touched with anguish.
Hannigan told the audience that her Kennedy Center recital felt like "a sacred moment of people coming together in very deep concentration." At this Tiny Desk recital, it happened all over again.
SET LIST
Alexander Zemlinsky: "Empfängnis"
Alma Mahler: "Licht in der Nacht"
Hugo Wolf: "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt"
Arnold Schoenberg: "Schenk mir deinen goldenen Kamm"
MUSICIANS
Barbara Hannigan (soprano), Reinbert de Leeuw (piano)
CREDITS
Producers: Tom Huizenga, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Alyse Young; Page Turner: Suraya Mohamed; Production Assistant: Salvatore Maicki; Photo: Jennifer Kerrigan/NPR
For more Tiny Desk concerts, subscribe to our podcast.
Пікірлер: 143
Rest in peace Reinbert de Leeuw (1938-2020).
I'm just glad people like this exist.
0:00 Zemlinsky - "Empfängnis" (1897) 4:54 Mahler, A - "Licht in der Nacht" (1915) 9:35 Wolf - "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt" (circa 1889) 12:57 Schoenberg - "Schenk mir deinen goldenen Kamm" (1899)
I've recently discovered Barbara, and I feel lucky to find her here, along with this extraordinary pianist. Tiny desk is a project which truly shares emotions all over the world. Thank you so much.
Kudos to the pianist. Such an amazing beauty in his playing.
@Alix777.
6 жыл бұрын
Reinbert de Leeuw is a renowned conductor too, you should check his work, especially concerning Galina Ustvolskaya music.
@BIGBOYWITHBIGHAT
6 жыл бұрын
Thank you! :)
@rjwusher
6 жыл бұрын
Also Reinbert de Leeuw's Satie recordings, including Socrate with Barbara Hannigan are very worthwhile.
@sjonb2
6 жыл бұрын
Reinbert the Leeuws work introduced me, and all of Holland i might add, to modern music. He's a great man.
@lubayart
3 жыл бұрын
. ..unfortunately, died 2 years after this recording
She is INCREDIBLE. Watch her performances of Mysteries of the Macabre!
@ivomdcoliveira
6 жыл бұрын
Luis True. Just by luck, I was today rewatching them before this npr surprise. They are unforgettable.
@diogenesagogo
4 жыл бұрын
I saw her do that live, a couple of years ago. I also saw her conduct a Mozart piece for small orchestra, then slowly turn to the audience & sing a part from The Threepenny Opera (Jenny I think). Goosebumps everywhere. She's phenomenal.
@gillesmatheronpro
4 жыл бұрын
Just seen it, some 5 minutes ago. Still speechless from such genius and pertinence. Nothing to add, nothing to substract... just perfection of art. She truly is in a class of her own.
@dctrbrass
2 жыл бұрын
That was one of the best performances that I've ever seen. Incredible accuracy/tuning on that very hard material. I think she has perfect pitch. Sure sounds like it.
I have to say it's a bit odd that Reinbert de Leeuw is only so briefly mentioned in the description. He is a legend!
"Longing for a solution that doesn't come." Brought tears to my eyes. So many of us can relate.
Barbara and Reinbert, you make my heart glow.
It was a wonderful tiny concert with an excellent vocal performance and excellent piano accompaniment. The short explanations relaxed the whole thing best. It was an absolut musical stroke of genius. Thank you very much.
This is gorgeous... moving... honest... I’m in tears. Bravi to them
So beautiful. So glad I found this. This pair is so talented.
10 seconds in the piece and I liked, favourited and searching for more
Oh my this is beautiful
Having seen the Idles playing in the same space as this and having loved both performances equally makes me think how awesome you guys are when reaching out for good music!! Thanks 🙏
I cant describe what I felt listening her voice....she is amazing!!!
That was a wonderful surprise. What a great voice. I think this a case where entrancing would be the correct term!
An absolute joy! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
amazing songs and barbara's voice is just otherworldly
Barbara is absolutely remarkable...and watching her conduct and sing is on a whole other level of artistry. What an incredible woman!
God I love her so much, the call at the end of Schoenberg “Magdalena” gives me chills so much wanting from this moment. All of it is so beautiful
An amazing way to start your day
Can't find anything more appropriate than, just : thank you.
Magique et magnifique Barbara Hannigan. Votre talent est éblouissant....
Beautiful!
After watching the grammy's ..i needed this
@mblanton2
6 жыл бұрын
plouk zoing she won a Grammy this year!
@Claude1Rochon
3 ай бұрын
Agayjauahaufh Ahhhhh Ahahahah !
Goosebumps!
This is the best. Bravo.
Wow! Hannigan puts just as much of herself into every note of the music here at a Tiny Desk Concert as she does soloing in front of the Berlin Phil.!
A beautiful trio. B.H is The sound of LOVE.
Melhor canal...melhores musicos e cantores
@Ulisses011
6 жыл бұрын
Aeee, tem BR que curte os NPR Tiny Desk o// Qual o seu favorito até agora?
Toujours magnifique ! Une artiste craquante et talentueuse.
Amazing. Thanks
So beautiful...
I adore you Barbara Hannigan.
Rest in peace Reinbert de Leeuw. You were an inspiration to many of us.
both top stars for me.biggest respect
beautiful❤❤❤
Thanks.
"Longing for Gminor" I learned a lot from these brilliant guys about resolution.
Excellent!
ooh! Didn't know this existed until, well, now. Big fan of Hannigan's performance of Hans Abrahamsen's Let Me Tell You -- fantastic piece. This video is wonderful!
@OngoingBox
4 жыл бұрын
also RIP Reinbert de Leeuw :(
Soothing voice.
Tiny Desk gives us another nice surprise!
I love the arts and all it's forms and all music , I just wish i knew what she was saying I think I would appreciate her more
Great!
not my cup of tee but i can truly appreciate this. thumbs UP!
I believe this piano has had many meetings with great pianists, not only Reinbert de Leeuw. So when it retires it has many memories to think of. By the way, RIP Reinbert de Leeuw.
Wish captions would work w this. Would love to understand the words. Thanks for sharing such great talent and skill. So beautiful.
Amazing
Great voice and beautiful Irish woman
This is not my type of music but I absolutely appreciate and enjoy the compositions especially as a German speaker and lord her amazing voice!
@endorphinsmusic
3 жыл бұрын
So maybe it is yout type of music after all :)
Surreal singer.
She is a great singer, but I also appreciate her incredible facial expressiveness.
Late Romantic-Expressionist German music with a hipster scenography... Barbara Hannigan is simply amazing (and de Leeuw too)
sehr gut
uah! che bellezza!
Delicious. Delightful. Decadent. Divine.
I love her lower range her vibrato seems to calm down? I love her attention to consonants it makes me think of my former voice teacher the late Soprano, Chloe Owen. When she did the mezzo di voce the vibrato also relaxed. Is she really a Mezzo
@felixdeckers8863
4 жыл бұрын
She also sings coloraturo in opera... But she sure sounds like a mezzo wen singing Liederen
Besides the flawless singing, her German pronounciation is perfect! Passes as "real"😀
@mu4990
6 жыл бұрын
Classically trained singers spend years perfecting diction.
@BenniArt
6 жыл бұрын
They do, but unfortunately not many succeed at getting this good; I say this being both, a native speaker and a musician :)
@mblanton2
6 жыл бұрын
Gundi Freitag I believe she lived in Germany for a number of years.
@rjwusher
6 жыл бұрын
Mrs Hannigan lives in Amsterdam and is married to a Dutch actor. Dutch is quite similar in structure, syntax and sound to German.
tief bewegt
RIP Reinbert de Leeuw
Love Barbara, is a complete charm ; Reinbert de Leeuw look like a man, but sound like a nature force!
This shit is dope
En la Boca del Desierto estuvo aquí.
wow
❤
Oh Barbara...
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
She's 47 and doesn't look it. Her voice is fabulous.
Quisiera que mi vida dejara de ser un secreto que sólo yo conozco
For the old Gods and de new's sake, Ygritte sings wonderfully!
2Doc: De Matthäus Missie van Reinbert de Leeuw Do 13 apr 23:05 • VPRO • 75 min Een film over het mysterie van muziek, de bezieling van musici en de onstuitbare bevlogenheid waarmee componist en dirigent Reinbert de Leeuw opgaat in Bachs monumentale Matthäus Passion. www.npo.nl/2doc-de-matthaeus-missie-van-reinbert-de-leeuw/13-04-2017/VPWON_1256432
Singers normally prefer the bathroom to the bedroom. This studio sounds like a bedroom. So hard to make this kind of repertoire sound good, like these two great musicians definetely did.
s/o page turner
Please get Lomelda on here
EDEN PLS!
It is almost a year ago since Reinbert passed away, and the insane gaping wound in our musical world is still there. Who will come close to picking up his legacy ? And Barbara ? She just goes from strength to strength. What a fantastic artist. Maybe she can help in keeping Reinbert's legacy alive.
Will Justin Nozuka ever be invited?
CC translation would have been awesome.
Tiny Desk for connoisseurs
this is not her usual kind of repertoire 😅
yall need to get blessed feathers on here
thank you tiny desk for this. I think some people might say this style of music is not worth presenting, but I disagree. I had this video on loop for 4 hours and I have to say it was the best sleep I've had in months. On the down side, when I woke up, the loop was still playing and it was so annoying that I punch my moniter. Currently I'm posting from my new laptop, but that's ok.
@yonatanpandelaki
6 жыл бұрын
KCPIO Loool this comment
@ivomdcoliveira
6 жыл бұрын
The drama!
@giorgio1943
6 жыл бұрын
Short sad story
@fabian5002
6 жыл бұрын
Is this a legit story?
maybe invite Fiona Apple?
15:22
Made my dogs howl
Pianist looks like Stick from Daredevil
Oh is NPR becoming self-aware? "laughably quaint"
@L0VEisAmixtape
3 жыл бұрын
Hater
U Guys Should Get Brent Faiyaz Next!!!
hi NPR please invite AlunaGeorge :)
She could have brought here some lame crossover nonsense, but that's not this woman. Voice.
Oh that´s German!? I listened for minutes then I realized. I am German, by the way...
@seppstarthebest
6 жыл бұрын
so i'm not the only one having trouble to recognize my mother's tongue :)
@ElGuitaristo79
6 жыл бұрын
Auch wenn ich mich anstrenge, ich versteh kein Wort :-/ Dachte erst, das wäre was Skandinavisches ;-) Aber natürlich sehr schön vorgetragen!
@andramoie
6 жыл бұрын
Ich habe schlechte Neuigkeiten für dich: Es könnte sein dass du kein Deutsch sprichst.
@lokilix
6 жыл бұрын
MSTR 79 would this mean that her pronunciation is bad? Or is it because of the high large notes? Just wondering
@andramoie
6 жыл бұрын
I think she has a very good pronunciation.
Taylor Swift ? how on Earth is music = $$$$ ?
The piano player??? He looks like he is about to keel over.
@stevenpam
6 жыл бұрын
What a gift to live to that age and be able to maintain and use such a wonderful skill
@peanutbutterjellyfish2665
6 жыл бұрын
Steven Pam no doubt....
@roberthumber1957
6 жыл бұрын
Just gotta give him some credit though. Not only is he an incredible pianist, he is one of the best conductors of contemporary music in the world.
@Red4350
6 жыл бұрын
looks can be deceiving
We need Donald Glover to come to the show. Who else agrees?
Why can't you furnish a more respectable and classy backdrop for these concerts? I mean, it looks like someone's basement laundry room. Come on. NPR can do much better.
@L0VEisAmixtape
3 жыл бұрын
Of course they can but it's a part of the brand.
"The vocal recital, as a performance genre, is still alive." Well, hardly. Because of massive cultural disinterest, not only is attendance down but song recitals are becoming rarer and rarer. And intelligent ones even rarer. Then there is the problem of recitalists pursuing fruitless outreach agendas by dumbing down programs and turning their presentations into idiotic and often embarrassing chatty sessions (e.g., Renée Fleming, Joyce DiDonato, Susan Graham, Sondra Radvanovsky). That said, this is not the case with Hannigan, who recently completed a highbrow, serious and challenging North American tour, from memory to boot. Oh, that's another pet peeve: recitalists unable to communicate the music's soul (Innigkeit) either because they are plain incompetent or because they have their noses buried in the score or because of deficient to nonexistent language skills. Or all three. Unacceptable. UPDATE: So I watched the entire video and Hannigan also turned this presentation into a chatty session. It's a No-No.
@arugula_fan
6 жыл бұрын
doGreatartistsgrowontrees? Get over yourself
@doGreatartistsgrowontrees
6 жыл бұрын
Luis Well, that's a grand, intelligent and eloquent counter-argument.
@arugula_fan
6 жыл бұрын
I could say the same sarcastic thing about your initial post. But more precisely, it's grandiose. I'm sure Hannigan welcomes the opportunity to present the music she's singing in an informal setting and wants to explain the thought behind her program to an audience with no program notes available to them and who probably don't have any background on the composers or that she's performing. Hannigan didn't have to be "chatty," but she chose to because she thought it would enrich the experience of this particular audience. She doesn't typically talk in recitals or concerts. I just don't understand what possesses you to care. Go watch any of her other videos (her Ligeti is great) if it bothers you.
@TheBluetoo99
6 жыл бұрын
Very well said Luis.
@catalinagalan
5 жыл бұрын
Really? Just focus on the music, god... who cares if they talk? (and it actually helps people learn, understand, and relate to this music, unfamiliar to many).
I can't even understand her lyrics. What is this some kind of mumble rap BS?
Beautiful!