The Song Recital, Reimagined

One of the interesting ways forward for the song recital may involve reinventing the relationship of new to  old. A recent recital by soprano Julia Fox and pianist Keith Weber in Houston featured the juxtaposition of Aaron Copland's 12 Poems of Emily Dickinson with the music on the rest of the program. From Bruce Robinson's account of the recital:

The performers divided the program into six sets, three each before and after intermission. Sets 1, 3, 4 and 6 consisted of Copland’s Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson. The interior sets of each half leavened the mix with songs of Bernstein, Monteverdi, Purcell and David Evan Thomas, as well as an improvisation by Mr. Weber.

At the end of each set the performers paused and sat down, perhaps sixty seconds each time. Did they need rest? No. Did the audience? Absolutely.

Update:

Erica Sipes sends word about a similar approach she will be using in an upcoming Love.Songs program in Whitewater, Wisconsin. A quote from Erica's Twitter feed:

@TheodoreSipes & I did something like that on a recent program of ours. Before each Respighi song we did, he stepped 2 side of stage, we projected the entire poem up on screen, had some sound effects in background that related 2 upcoming song after about a minute, I started the intro. It was so refreshing 4 both the audience and ourselves. A neat experience.

You can read in much greater detail about Erica's recital concept at her Love.Songs blog.