Songs of an Innocent Age
Irma Vallecillo (piano), Paul Sperry (tenor)
Paul Sperry says: "I first became attracted to turn-of-the-century American songs in 1975 when I started preparing recitals for the Bicentennial celebration. I discovered an enormous repertory of delightful music of which this recording contains only a small sample. Most of these songs were written primarily to be sung in the parlor around the piano, but many were quickly picked up and performed in concert by the leading singers of the day. As tastes changed over the last 70 years, they virtually disappeared from the concert hall, and as record listening replaced live music-making at home, they were abandoned there as well. Thus for a long time, these pieces have been virtually ignored. Happily, tastes are changing again and both singers and audiences are taking great pleasure in this charming music."
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Take, O Take those Lips Away | Frederick Ayres | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Where the Bee Sucks | Frederick Ayres | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Ariette | Amy Beach | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Take, O Take those Lips Away | Amy Beach | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| O Mistress Mine | Amy Beach | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| The Half-Minute Songs | Carrie Jacobs Bond | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| The Capture of Bacchus | Dudley Buck | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| From the Land of Sky-Blue Water | Charles Wakefield Cadman | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Looking-Glass river | John Alden Carpenter | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Dansons la gigue | John Alden Carpenter | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Adversity | George Whitefield Chadwick | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Euthanasia | George Whitefield Chadwick | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| The Danza | George Whitefield Chadwick | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| It Was a Lover and His Lass | Henry Clough-Leighter | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| It Was a Lover and His Lass | Arthur Foote | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| O Swallow, Swallow Flying South | Arthur Foote | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| The Owl | Henry F. Gilbert | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred | Henry F. Gilbert | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Pirate Song | Henry F. Gilbert | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Auf ihrem Grab | Charles Griffes | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Wohl lag ich einst in Gram und Schmerz | Charles Griffes | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Spring Song | Charles Ives | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| The Circus Band | Charles Ives | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Hark! Hark! The Lark | Harvey Worthington Loomis | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Long Ago, Sweetheart Mine | Edward MacDowell | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| A Maid Sings Light | Edward MacDowell | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Oh! That We Two Were Maying | Ethelbert Nevin | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| One Spring Morning | Ethelbert Nevin | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Orsola's Song | Ethelbert Nevin | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Nocturne | Ethelbert Nevin | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Narcissus | Ethelbert Nevin | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| Early Spring-Time | John Knowles Paine | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
| You'll Miss Lots of Fun when You're Married | John Phillip Sousa | Paul Sperry, tenor, Irma Vallecillo, piano |
Reviews
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"...Sperry and pianist Irma Vallecillo are a first-rate team, bringing insight and musical understanding to this neglected corner of song literature. It's an excursion into a kinder, gentler time, and a trip worth taking. Excellent sound. Complete texts are included, which add to the enjoyment of this delightful and unusual recital."
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