John Danyel: Grief, keep within

Written by nyfos

In category: Song of the Day

Published April 23, 2020

John Danyel (1564-1626) is in the shadow of John Dowland, who is rightfully installed in the pantheon of the greatest songwriters ever.  But Danyel left us some amazing songs, and this is one of them.  It’s a mini song-cycle, whose three parts share a slightly varied refrain.  The text is anonymous, but one is tempted to ascribe it to John Danyel’s famous brother, poet Samuel Danyel, whose works John edited.  In any case it is a uniquely moving expression of grief: How can tears be appropriate to express the loss of a loved one, when they can be elicited by so many other emotions – even joy?  It bears the subtitle Mrs. M. E. Her Funeral Tears for the Death of her Husband.  It is a work created by two artists to help an individual plumb the depth of her grief. Evelyn Tubb sings with Anthony Rooley, lute.

author: nyfos

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William Sharp’s association with NYFOS goes back to when it was but a twinkle in Steven and Michael’s eyes.  He fondly remembers those first concerts at packed-to-the-rafters Greenwich House (hot? — in more ways than one). He has appeared with most major American symphony orchestras, and has created world premiere performances and recordings of works by composers such as Leonard Bernstein, John Harbison, John Musto, Jon Deak, Libby Larson, David Del Tredici, Lori Laitman, Steven Paulus, Scott Wheeler, David Liptak, and Jörg Widmann. Mr. Sharp’s discography of several dozen discs encompasses music from the 12thcentury to today. His 1990 world premiere recording of Leonard Bernstein’s last major work Arias and Barcarolles (Blier/Barrett/Kaye), won a Grammy Award, and he was nominated for a Grammy (Best Classical Vocal Performance) for his recording with Mr. Blier featuring the works of American composers such as Virgil Thomson, John Musto and Lee Hoiby. He is winner of the Carnegie Hall International American Music Competition, the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, the Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Prize, and the Geneva International Competition. He has taught voice at the university level since 1977, and joined the Peabody Conservatory faculty in 2002. His students are performing throughout the world in concert and opera.

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