Countermelody
Countermelody is a new podcast devoted to the glories of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great classical and opera singers of the past and present with the help of guests from the classical music field: singers, conductors, composers, coaches, agents, and voice teachers. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the interaction between singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. Please also visit the Countermelody website for updates, additional content, and to pledge your support. www.countermelodypodcast.com
- Update frequency
- every 3 days
- Average duration
- 91 minutes
- Episodes
- 320
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Episode 371. Margherita Roberti @ 100 (with August Ventura)
One hundred years ago today, Margaret Jean Roberts was born at the edge of a field before her parents could reach the hospital. The story of how she became Margherita Roberti, one of the leading dram…
01:40:06 |
Fri 27 Jun 2025
Episode 370. Lesbian Concentrate and Beyond (Pride 2025)
Continuing the Countermelody show of Pride for this month’s LGBTQ+ celebrations, I take a look back at the Women’s Music Movement of the mid-1970s as reflected in the 1977 Olivia Records release Lesb…
01:18:18 |
Mon 23 Jun 2025
Episode 369. Joséphine Baker Revisited (Live Edition)
Yesterday was a crucial celebration for all US-Americans: Juneteenth. In honor of that event and in continuing observation of Pride 2025, I offer today an episode in honor of the great Joséphine Bake…
01:27:36 |
Fri 20 Jun 2025
Episode 368. Gay Eccentrics (Pride 2025)
Somewhere along the line in planning my Pride 2025 episodes, I hit upon the idea of paying tribute to Gay Eccentrics. (Maybe because I am one of them myself?) There are many mad queer geniuses in the…
01:46:09 |
Tue 17 Jun 2025
Episode 367. Bernac Sings Not-Poulenc (Pride 2025)
Continuing our exploration of queer pride in classical music, I bring you the great baryton-martin Pierre Bernac (1899 – 1979), known first and foremost as a creator of some of the most exquisite mél…
01:37:37 |
Fri 13 Jun 2025
Episode 366. Donald Gramm Revisited (Pride 2025)
I’m going all out (literally) for this year’s Pride celebrations, especially because the haters are out there in such force. Today I pay tribute to my fellow Milwaukeean, the marvelous bass-baritone …
01:32:09 |
Sun 08 Jun 2025
Episode 365. Flying Down to Rio (Latin American Song II)
Today is the second part of my Latin American orchestral song tribute. Last week we explored Villa-Lobos and Revueltas; today we devote ourselves to Argentina, and primarily two composers: Alberto Gi…
01:33:23 |
Fri 06 Jun 2025
Episode 364. Grace Bumbry: Proud Soprano (Live Edition)
It’s Pride Month, and what better time to focus on queer musical culture in all its various manifestations! As far back as I can remember, I have been an Opera Queen, and today I kick off our queer c…
01:27:01 |
Mon 02 Jun 2025
Episode 363. Orchestral Song of Latin America, Part 1
A few weeks ago I had the idea of doing a program devoted to American orchestral song. It did not take me long to realize that once again “American [that is to say, US] Exceptionalism” was distorting…
01:23:24 |
Sat 31 May 2025
Episode 362. No More Slavery Chains
Five years ago, I awoke to the horrifying news of the murder of George Floyd by a member of the Minneapolis Police Department. I had been working on cobbling together an episode on French Glamour, wh…
01:13:31 |
Mon 26 May 2025
Episode 361. Russell Oberlin Revisited
I’ve been so lucky this week to cross paths with several beloved friends and colleagues, in some cases for the first time in ages. One of those friends of many years’ standing is the legendary counte…
01:30:16 |
Fri 23 May 2025
Episode 360. Ben Luxon: King of Crossover
Benjamin Luxon, the esteemed Cornish baritone who died at the age of 87 last July, had one of the most wide-ranging repertoires of any singer of the past century, from the classical repertoire (inclu…
01:47:23 |
Tue 20 May 2025
Episode 359. Get to Know Hugo Hasslo
The earliest selection on last week’s Elisabeth Söderström episode featured the soprano at 24 singing the title role of Madama Butterfly. In that live recording, we also heard as Sharpless her compat…
01:31:33 |
Sat 17 May 2025
Episode 358. Elisabeth Söderström Revisited
There are very few singers that mean more to me than does Elisabeth Söderström. I was first made aware of her at the tender age of ten, when I became obsessed with Pelléas et Mélisande after hearing …
01:41:06 |
Tue 13 May 2025
Episode 357. Faust auf Deutsch
Today I offer three different recordings of excerpts, sung in German, from Charles Gounod’s opera Faust, which was known in the day in Germany as Margarethe. The Germans have always regarded this wor…
01:39:55 |
Sat 10 May 2025
Episode 356. Get to Know Irina Arkhipova
Directly after the disastrous November election in the United States, I compiled a setlist for two episodes self-explanitorially entitled “Mezzos on the Verge” and “Mezzos in Extremis.” One of the fe…
01:37:33 |
Tue 06 May 2025
Episode 355. John Wustman (Honor Your Mentors I)
I have been reminded over and over again in recent weeks of the preciousness of life as numerous dear friends and family members face loss of loved ones and their own life-altering health crises. Thi…
02:07:33 |
Fri 02 May 2025
Episode 354. Get to Know April Cantelo
Only recently have I become fully aware of the exceptional voice and artistry of the late April Cantelo (02 April 1928 -16 July 2024). When she died last summer, I began more fully exploring her reco…
01:32:05 |
Sun 27 Apr 2025
Episode 353. Canteloube Originals
The composer Joseph-Marie Canteloube is primarily known for his lush orchestral arrangements of folk songs from his native Auvergne region. However, he also composed other work, including arrangement…
01:23:25 |
Fri 25 Apr 2025
Episode 352. Faboo Young Singers, Part II
This is the second part of an episode begun last week featuring the cream of the crop of today’s young artists. As with the performers heard last week, they represent the finest opera and classical s…
01:33:08 |
Mon 21 Apr 2025
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are the property of DANIEL GUNDLACH. This content is not affiliated with or endorsed by eachpod.com.