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Arlen • Berlin • Gershwin • Rodgers and Hart
 The classically trained soprano Karie L. Kerner, studying and performing in Europe and America, has developed her art of expressing humankind’s deep-seated longs, fears, frustrations and aspirations.
As with any great vocalist, her singing reveals her soul. And here we find the spirits of Jolson, Brice, Armstrong and Sinatra. Those timeless popular vocalists were essentially modern lieder singers, just as is Ms. Kerner. They told the tales of their times, just as 19th Century lieder singers told the tales of theirs.
Here Ms. Kerner sings compositions from the American Songbook. These creations of American’s finest and most popular composers tell the tales of their century, the 20th century. Mostly these are love songs, but in the broadest sense of the phrase, meaning they reveal the emotional landscape of not just the lovers, but of the times in which they were written. To sing such songs as these you must love and be loved. You must need to give love. When you listen you will know you are hearing musical love.
This is Ms. Kerner’s second recording in a series focusing on the American Art Song repertoire of I. Berlin and G. Gershwin as well as now adding the compositions of H. Arlen and Messrs. Rodgers and Hart. As in the first recording of this series Karie is once again accompanied by pianist, composer and Founder, Executive Director of ijamjazz festival Mr. Peter Barbieri. Also, as in Ms. Kerner’s previous recordings she has chosen a 150-year-old hall, which is an instrument unto itself. She records the moment. The singer, the piano, the hall. A live recording! The point is to give the listener, that moment of that performance.
Track Listing:
Irving Berlin, 1889-1989
Music and lyrics by Mr. Berlin
1) Puttin’ on the Ritz
2) Soft Lights and Sweet Music
3) Stop, Stop, Stop
4) The Funnies
5) Remember
Harold Arlen, 1905-1986
6) Hooray For Love (lyrics by Leo Robin)
7) Let’s Take the Long Way Home
(lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
8) Ill Wind (lyrics by Ted Koehler)
9) The Silent Spring (lyrics by E. Y. Harburg)
10) Little Drops of Rain (lyrics by E. Y. Harburg)
George Gershwin, 1898-1937, lyrics by Ira Gershwin
11) Fascinating Rhythm
12) Do It Again (lyrics by B. G. DeSylva)
13) You’ve Got What Gets Me
14) Delishious
15) A Foggy Day
Richard Rodgers, 1902-1979, lyrics by Lorenz Hart
16) Bewitched
17) Glad To Be Unhappy
18) Nobody’s Heart
19) Where or When
20) I Could Write A Book
21) My Funny Valentine
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Berlin & Gershwin
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“What a lovely, lyrical celebration of American song. Beautifully sung, and artfully accompanied, not just another 'cross-over,'
self-conscious condescending dip into the American songbook,
but an honest, simple
(though not simple-minded) glorious, and rich, interpretation of Berlin and Gershwin evergreens. More please!”
2001 review by Edward Jablonski – more »
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The American soprano Karie Lisa Kerner here performs works of the enormously popular 20th century composers, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin.
When George Gershwin performed as a concert pianist in 1923, art songs by Bartok, Schoenberg and others appeared on the program with popular American songs by Messrs. Berlin and Gershwin. The point was that American popular songs were as beautiful and as intelligently composed as the works of leading European masters.*
If "art songs" means those of high quality of conception and execution with aesthetic value, one play of this compact disc will once again confirm the great artistry of the composers.
It will also confirm the talent of Ms. Kerner, who performs the songs with a joyful respect that emphasizes the enormous zest for life inherent in the compositions.
Noted in Europe and the United States for her Lieder performances, this is Ms. Kerner's second recording and the first in a series of recorded performances of the works of Mr. Berlin and Mr. Gershwin.
For this recording, she has chosen to perform in a beautiful music hall; a setting similar to that in which the composers might have heard these songs.
Accompanying Ms. Kerner is composer and pianist Peter Barbieri. Mr. Barbieri has received a doctorate in Musical Arts from the University of Colorado. He currently performs and teaches jazz improvisation and theory.
*Three of the Gershwin songs on this compact disc have lyrics by Ira Gershwin, the brother of George and his frequent collaborator. He was one of the American musicals finest songwriters. Lorenz Hart (of Rodgers & Hart) once wrote to Ira, "Such delicacies as your jingles prove that songs can be both popular and intelligent."
Track Listing:
Irving Berlin, 1889-1989,
Music and lyrics by Mr. Berlin
1) How Deep is the Ocean
2) What’ll I Do
3) Say It isn’t So
4) This Year’s Kisses
5) Be Careful, It's My Heart
6) This is the Army, Mr. Jones
7) When I Lost You
8) Always
9) Top Hat, White Tie & Tails
10) They Say It’s Wonderful
11) Cheek to Cheek
George Gershwin, 1898-1937,
lyrics by Ira Gershwin
12) Love is Sweeping the Country
13) Bidin’ My Time
Irving Berlin
14) Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning
15) I Got the Sun in the Morning
George Gershwin
16) The Babbit and the Bromide
17) Swanee (lyrics by Irving Caesar)
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Song Samples:
“How Deep is the Ocean”
“This Year's Kisses”
“What'll I Do”
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Lyric Soprano
 For the Romantics of the nineteenth century, beauty was truth. For them, imagination and emotion, combined with intelligence and technique, revealed truth.
Here, with a playful and robust approach, Karie L. Kerner re-imagines and beautifully reveals the truth of the compositions of J. Brahms, G. Mahler and the marvelous, but not often heard Wilhelm Stenhammar, as well as the 20th century compositions of S. Barber.
Since 1992, Karie has brought her powerfully emotional interpretations to audiences in Sweden, Germany, France and the western United States. Now, invite her into your listening room and allow this gracious and warm lady to transport you to another time, another reality.
Track Listing:
Johannes Brahms (1813-1897)
| I Vergebliches Ständchen (Volkslied) |
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Op 84 No 4
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| II Der Kranz (H. Schmidt) |
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Op 84 No 2
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| III In Den Beeren (H. Schmidt) |
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Op 84 No 3
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| IV Spannug (Volkslied) |
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Op 84 No 5
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Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
I Hans Und Grethe (Volkslied by Mahler)
II Serenade (Tirso De Molina Von “Don Juan”)
III Starke Einbildungskraft (Des Knaben Wunderhorn)
IV Nicht Wiedersehen (Des Knaben Wunderhorn)
Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927)
I I Skogen (Gellerstedt)
II Flickan Kom Ifrån Sin Älsklings Möte (J.L. Runeberg)
II Behagen (J.L. Runeberg)
Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
| I The Daises (J. Stephens) |
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Op 2 No 1
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| II A Nun Takes the Veil (G. Hopkins) |
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Op 13 No 1
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Hermit Songs Op 29
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| I At Saint Patricks Purgatory |
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No1
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| II Church Bell at Night |
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No 2
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| III The Heavenly Banquet |
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No 4
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| IV The Crucifixion |
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No 5
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| V Sea – Snatch |
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No 6
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| VI Promiscuity |
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No 7
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| VII The Monk and His Cat |
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No 8
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| VIII The Praises of God |
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No 9
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| IX The Desire for Hermitage |
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No 10
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Song Samples:
“Vergebliches Ständchen”
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Sample MP3 (372k)