I knew intuitively when I went to CSUS to hear a song recital from Robin Fisher that it was going to have something to do with the book she coauthored called American Art Song and American Poetry.
This poetry is by some of the great American poets: Edna St. Vincent Millay, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes "Nobody loves a genius child," Belle Starr (notorious outlaw), Elinor Wylie and Emma Lazarus, among others.
Chronologically, the composers are Mary Howe, Jean Berger, Lee Hoiby, Richard Hundley, Libby Larsen, Ricky Ian Gordon, and Jake Heggie. For some reason I thought "jazz without the rhythm." None of this music was familiar to me.
It was a recital of love, both from Robin and her excellent accompanist Elvia Puccinelli. Robin did a good job of selecting songs that suited her voice and musical personality. Maybe I'll have to read the book.
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