A new e-zine devoted to art song has lovers of classical vocal music talking. Sparks & Wiry Cries is an online community for singers, collaborative pianists, scholars and anyone who has been moved by the poetry of song.
Sparks & Wiry Cries was co-created by soprano Martha Guth and pianist Erika Switzer, both accomplished performers whose activities on stage likely don’t leave them much spare time. However, publishing an e-zine is clearly a labour of love for the two performers, which is why they also made time to answer some CBC Music questions about the publishing project.
Q: What is the significance of the title of your website?
Martha Guth: What Sparks and Wiry Cries is a Paul Goodman poem that was set to music by Ned Rorem. I love it for its imagery. The opening line – “What sparks and wiry cries shall I strike first upon the iron string…" – was so evocative of the piano.
Q: Why did you decide to create a web site dedicated to art song?
MG: We wanted an online home for art song; a place for our community to rally. There’s this myth out there that art song is always on the verge of extinction. For sure, it’s a niche market, and those who are into what we are doing will never be in the millions, but we thought that if there was a place that celebrated the composers, the performers and the people writing about art song, then the perception might change for the better.
Q: Do you think today's audiences favour operatic music over art song?
Erika Switzer: Operas certainly do sell a lot more tickets. But if the question is whether those who attend art song recitals would prefer to be at the opera, then the answer is no. To me, it's not a secret that art song draws intimate audiences. It's an intimate art form; it requires an intimate setting. Art song offers musical drama without any packaging. It suits the moments in life when you crave raw, unadulterated musical communication. Art song is to opera what Adele is to Madonna: the singer-songwriter of the classical world.
Q: What is it about art song repertoire that excites you?
ES: The stories, the poetry, the specificity of the piano writing. I love that the piano can be a bird, the wind in the trees or a broken heart, and all in one song. It focuses my creative impulse and makes my musical world highly visual. It's like playing piano while watching a movie.
MG: I love working with just one person. Singers and pianists develop deep relationships in this arena. And I love working with text. I have always been drawn to poetry and this outlet allows me to share that love.
Part of a live performance of Schubert's Auf dem Wasser zu singen. Baritone Bryn Terfel and pianist Llyr Williams were recorded at the 2011 Verbier Festival.
Q: Tell us about some of the features of Sparks & Wiry Cries.
MG: The site features a podcast. The next one is an interview with 88-year-old Ned Rorem. We also have articles, a blog and it will also house our concert reviews once they get into full swing. There’s a calendar listing concerts happening throughout North America. And we are launching a recording of the Brahms Liebeslieder waltzes and some of his vocal quartets.
Q: For somebody who knows next to nothing about art song, what would you recommend as a place to start?
ES: I started with Schubert, without speaking a word of German, and fell in love. With Schubert, you start more or less at the beginning and you are treated to memorable tunes that stick to you like glue. The music is perfection and the stories that he chose are universal. I tell friends to buy a recording of Schubert songs, pour a glass of wine and start reading some poetry. How could that not sound appealing?
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