Kathleen Ferrier

   Er zijn stemmen, die op mij - toen ik ze voor de eerste keer hoorde - een diepe en onvergetelijke indruk gemaakt hebben. Magda Olivero met "Del sultano Amuratte" uit Adriana Lecouvreur en Rosa Ponselle met de aria "Suicidio" uit La Gioconda van Ponchielli bijvoorbeeld. Maar bovenal in de vijftiger jaren Kathleen Ferrier met de grote aria uit Gluck's Orfeo: What is life? (Che faro senza Euridici). Een alt met een zeldzaam mooie stem, een stem die kan ontroeren, zoals in Mahler's 'Abschied' uit Das Lied der Erde, maar ook in staat is om eenvoudige volksliedjes als 'The stuttering lovers' of 'Blow the wind Southerly' op een manier te vertolken die exemplarisch is. Een recensent van 'Punch' beschreef na een uitvoering van Mahler's 'Das Lied von der Erde' de uitwerking van haar stem op hem als volgt ....' En in het lied 'Abschied' luidt de doodsklok over de hele schepping. Dagen later was het alsof ik dat kwellende, hartbrekende Vaarwel en de schitterende stem van Kathleen Ferrier nog steeds hoorde zingen ... Ewig, ewig, ewig ....'

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Kathleen Ferrier, contralto

 

A new singer of remarkable talent.
Manchester Guardian

Haar eerste programmaboekje, 1942 - De omslag

 

MANCHESTER TUESDAY CONCERTS

Miss Kathleen Ferrier, a new singer of remarkable talent, was heard yesterday in the Houldsworth Hall, Manchester. A full, rich contralto voice, flexible throughout its compass and capable of lovely shades of tone and expression, is rare in these days, and as the possessor of such a voice Miss Ferrier is far better equipped by nature than are many contraltos who enjoy considerable fame. And she sings with feeling and intelligence, using her vocal gifts as the servant of her temperament.
G.A.H.-Manchester Guardian 

 

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL

Whoever induced Kathleen Ferrier to sing at the concert given by Leslie Bridgewater and his salon orchestra on Saturday evening has my gratitude. She is a great contralto, and one worthy to be mentioned as a possible successor to Clara Butt. It is a long time since we heard anyone sing Handel's "Where'er you walk" with such telling simplicity and dignity. It was just plain, honest singing without any frills, but with the effortless charm of the artist. She has range and quality of tone.
Liverpool Evening Express

ORATORIO AND MISCELLANEOUS

The Messiah Performance was enriched by a beautiful rendering of the contralto part by Kathleen Ferrier. Her voice had a lovely creamy quality. The air "He shall feed His Flock" glowed with tender conviction. The significance of "He was Despised" was deepened by beauty and sincerity of expression.
Evening Chronicle, St Annes-on-Sea

"ELIJAH"

Miss Kathleen Ferrier sang with great charm and sincerity. She was good in the dramatic part of the Queen when singing with the chorus, in the solo "Woe unto them," and in the aria " O rest in the Lord." This was rendered with great sympathy and expression. Miss Ferrier has one of the purest contralto voices, and she left the impression that she will be one of the country's leading oratorio singers in the near future.
Runcorn Weekly News

Miss Kathleen Ferrier, who has a very beautiful contralto voice, sang Brahms and modern British songs with considerable finish and imagination.
Liverpool Daily Post


EXTRACTS FROM PRESS NOTICES

Quoted in the leaflet, 1942

bronvermelding:
Kathleen Ferrier, A Memoir. Verzameld door Neville Cardus, 1954 Hamish Hamilton Ltd. London

The life of Kathleen Ferrier, door haar zuster Winifred Ferrier, 1955 Hamish Hamilton Ltd. London

Kathleen - The life of Kathleen Ferrier, Maurice Leonard, 1988 Hutchinson Ltd. London

Kathleen Ferrier, You Tube Tribute to Kathleen Ferrier - Down by the sally gardens (her best pictures)

Kathleen Ferrier, You Tube Kathleen Ferrier.Part of a BBC documentary , 2003
 

 

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