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
- 323
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Episode 334. Gloria Davy Revisited
I’ve been wanting to revisit the legacy of the great African American soprano Gloria Davy (born in Brooklyn on 29 March 1931 and died in Genève on 28 November 2012) for some time now. In the first ye…
01:43:34 |
Tue 18 Feb 2025
Episode 333. Leontyne Price Sings Richard Strauss Lieder
On February 10th, our beloved diva Leontyne Price celebrated her 98th birthday. Of course she is recognized for her performances of the operas of Verdi, but in my opinion, she was even more suited, u…
01:25:26 |
Fri 14 Feb 2025
Episode 332. Ellabelle Davis Revisited
Today I present the African American soprano Ellabelle Davis (1907-1960) who during the late 1940s and early 1950s was greatly celebrated as a concert singer and who appeared around the world, the “T…
01:10:27 |
Mon 10 Feb 2025
Episode 331. Eugene Holmes Revisited
Exactly two years ago I introduced my listeners to the magisterial African American dramatic baritone Eugene Holmes (1932 – 2007). Holmes first found world-wide recognition with he appeared in the fi…
01:42:05 |
Fri 07 Feb 2025
Episode 330. Martina Arroyo in Duet
What better way to start off this Black History Month 2025 celebration than with a birthday tribute to beloved African American diva Martina Arroyo, who turned 88 yesterday, February 2?! Though she i…
01:41:56 |
Mon 03 Feb 2025
Episode 329. Lois Marshall @ 100
Yesterday was the 100th birthday of the sublime Canadian singer, Lois Marshall (29 January 1925 – 19 February 1997). I was sorry to see that there were very apparently few acknowledgements of this mo…
01:43:06 |
Thu 30 Jan 2025
Episode 328. Mezzos in Extremis
Right after the disastrous US election of November 2024, I published an episode entitled “Mezzos on the Verge,” which featured some of my favorite mezzos in rafter-shaking performances of “on the edg…
01:23:52 |
Mon 27 Jan 2025
Episode 327. Eileen Farrell’s High Standards
It’s been a tough week all around, not just nationally and internationally, but also personally for me and my family. Because I did not have the time or energy to put out a brand-new episode today, I…
01:16:19 |
Fri 24 Jan 2025
Episode 326. Paul Robeson Unchained
Today, Martin Luther King Day and the day of the reinauguration of King Ubu of the Divided States of America, is an appropriate time to revisit the life and legacy of the great Paul Robeson. Both gre…
01:36:03 |
Mon 20 Jan 2025
Episode 325. Marni Nixon Revisited
Today I present to you the extraordinarily versatile, even chameleon-like singer and actor Marni Nixon (22 February 1930 - 24 July 2016), who is no doubt best-known today as the so-called “Ghostess w…
01:48:48 |
Fri 17 Jan 2025
Episode 324. Margaret Price in Trauer und Trost
These days I find myself in a pensive, troubled state, very much in need of the kind of consolation that only music can provide. A number of years ago, I published a pair of episodes featuring the su…
01:36:19 |
Tue 14 Jan 2025
Episode 323. Baritonal Schwanengesang
The New Year is off to a predictably challenging start. Everywhere we look (California, Canada, New Orleans, and beyond) dreadful things are happening. I am offering in the spirit of solace and condo…
01:47:26 |
Fri 10 Jan 2025
Episode 322. Margaret Marshall Sings Mozart
Yesterday was the birthday of Countermelody favorite, the ravishing Scottish soprano Margaret Marshall. What better way to kick off Season Six of the podcast than with this tribute to Margaret. The m…
01:32:57 |
Sun 05 Jan 2025
Episode 321. Anna Moffo und die leichte Muse
Today’s episode, “Anna Moffo und die leichte Muse,” continues the delicious theme of opera singers “letting down their hair” begun with “Hadley in Wien,” and it also forms a complement and a suppleme…
01:25:21 |
Thu 02 Jan 2025
Episode 320. Hadley in Wien
I can think of no more appropriate way to end this difficult year than with another episode lauding my late friend, the sublime American lyric tenor Jerry Hadley. I am of the firm belief that Jerry w…
01:41:40 |
Sun 29 Dec 2024
Episode 319. Leslie Uggams 1966–1975
Leslie Uggams’ long-standing place in American pop culture matches that of any pop diva of similar longevity, going back all the way to her days as a child star on 1950s television variety and game s…
01:39:38 |
Wed 25 Dec 2024
Episode 318. Christmas (Art) Songs, Part Deux
A final offering of Christmas music on Countermelody this year, but far be it from me to rehash the usual Christmas carols! Absolutely not! In this episode I offer a follow-up to an episode posted ye…
01:39:15 |
Sun 22 Dec 2024
Episode 317. Big Baroque Christmas
Sometimes when I look back on past episodes of Countermelody, I surprise myself with how good they were, even in the early days when I was still trying to figure everything out. This episode, first p…
01:48:29 |
Thu 19 Dec 2024
Episode 316. Christmas with Elly Ameling
In February our beloved Elly Ameling turns 92. I cannot think of another classical singer who recorded more Christmas albums over the course of her career. One of the most obscure of these is the 198…
01:40:10 |
Mon 16 Dec 2024
Episode 315. Gilda Cruz-Romo
While I was growing up, Gilda Cruz-Romo was a fixture on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. At the time, I did not fully appreciate her, as I thought of her as a second-string singer on the roster.…
01:32:31 |
Sun 15 Dec 2024
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