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Dr. Julianne
Baird's oeuvre of almost 100 recordings have established her, according
to one music researcher, as one of the 10 most recorded women in
the world. However, her place in the top ranks of classical recording
artists, has not been achieved by sheer numbers. Many of her CD's
have generated the highest praise from music critics in respected
newspapers and periodicals around the globe.
"If
Spring sunlight could be translated into sound, it would probably
be a lot like Julianne Baird. The soprano's voice has a natural,
unforced but moderate warmth that makes the listener pull closer.
. . And it gives a distinctive incandescence to everything she
sings."
Opera News, 1995
"Julianne
Baird is a vocal phenomenon. . . a rare and wondrous voice guided
by an extraordinary musical intelligence." Fanfare, 1989
"Julianne
Baird has an exquisite voice, which she uses with the intelligence
of a scholar. . . the best voice on any living musicologist." Washington
Post,1989
"The
breathtaking pure, lovely Julianne Baird, would be enough reason
for listening to Handel's rarely performed Berenice." **** (four
stars) CD Review, 1994
"Baird's
extraordinary technique and musicianship find expression in a voice
. . . ideal for this period of music." High Performance Review,
1993
"At
times, the taste she [Joan Sutherland] shows in performing ornaments
approaches Baird's." Opera News, 1995
"Julianne
Baird as Rosmene gives what is surely one of the three or four
finest accounts of a Handel operatic role yet on record." New
York Times, 1987
"It
is no surprise that it is Julianne Baird who delights us with the
best moments of the CD. In Cantata 51 with trumpet, she is literally
radiant, and performs the difficult passages with brilliance even
while demonstrating a burning expressivity in the contemplative
passages." Diapason, (Paris) 1992
"Baird
offers a keenly intelligent reading, most imaginative in Irrlicht
and Einsamkeit." Opera News, 1998
Many of Julianne
Baird's CD's have been honored as among the best releases for their
respective years by the New York Times, Diapason, Gramophone, Fanfare
and others.
SOLO RECORDINGS: RECITALS AND COLLECTIONS:
The
New York Philharmonic celebrated the entrance to the new millenium
with a 10 CD set highlighting its best performances of 20th century
composers. Dr. Baird is featured in the World Premiere orchestral
recording of Steve Reich's Tehillim with Zubin Mehta conducting.
In the recently released Jane's Hand, Dr. Baird sings
English arias culled from the personal hand- copied musical notebooks
of the authoress. The CD, Jane's Hand as well as a CD featuring Fanny
Mendelssohn Lieder was recorded in the Gordon Theater on
the Camden Campus.
Winterreise is
the first and only recording of Schubert's original 1827 version
of his monumental song cycle--a project made possible by a Rutgers
Research Council Grant. English Lute Song was given
an Ovation Nomination for best Solo Vocal Album. Lullabies:
. . . from The Metropolitan Museum of Art was commissioned
by the Museum.
Dance on a Moonbean (issued
in July 2000) features Dr. Baird, Meryl Streep, Dawn Upshaw and Frederica
von Stade in a project to benefit children. Among the recordings
of Dr. Baird's to be released in Fall 2000 are Passionate Pavans
and Galliards: The Music of John Dowland, recorded in New
York's Town Hall, and the premiere recording of the modern composer
John Freeman: settings of poetry by John Donne.
New York Philharmonic
Orchestra: Steve Reich's Tehillim, World Premiere Recording, Julianne
Baird, soprano soloist, Zubin Mehta, conductor
Dance on a Moonbeam: Meryl
Streep, Julianne Baird, Benjamim Luxon, Dawn Upshaw, Frederica von
Stade, London Symphony Telarc CD-80554
Passionate Pavanes
and Galliards: Lyrichord LEM8046
***Handel Glorious
Handel: Soprano Arias Newport Classic NPD 85646
Shakespeare's Music Dorian
DOR-90017
Elizabeth's Music (Queen
Elizabeth I) 1533-1603) Dorian DOR 90015
Angels of Antiquity:
Music from the Middle Ages to the Age of Enlightenment. Dorian:
DOR 09990
The Art of the American
Singer (Sampler) Baird Newport Classic
Anon Lullabies:
A Songbook Companion from The Metropolitan
Museum of Art ESS.
AY CD 1054
***Anon The English
Lute Song
Dorian: DOR 90109
***Bach Bach Arias
with Flute Baird/Newbold/Mattax
Newport Classic 85530
Bach A Baroque Christmas Baird/Ama
Deus
Vox 7548
***Bartok/ Kodaly Bartok
and Kodály Crofut Consort:Albany
RecordsTroy046
***Caccini The Italian
Lute Song Baird:McFarlane
Carissimi Dorian: DOR
90236
Dowland Awake
Sweet Love: The Music of John Dowland
DeCormier singers Arabesque
Z-6622
***Dowland Greensleeves:
A Collection of English Lute Songs Baird: Morely McFarlane
Dorian DOR 90126
***Gluck/Handel "Jane's
Hand": The Jane Austen Songbooks
Vox Records 7537
Handel Greatest
Arias
Vox Classic: Vox 7527
Handel: Handel
Favorites with America's finest Early Music
SOPRANO
Newport Classic 85568
***Handel Songs
of Love and War. Works by Caccini, Frescobaldi,
Handel, Monteverdi
etc. Baird/Tilney
Dorian: DOR 90104
Handel Handel:
Where'er you walk: Favourite English Arias
Newport Classic NPD
85610
***Monteverdi: Musica
Dolce: Music of Cavalli and Monteverdi
Baird:Tilney
Dorian DOR 90123
***Mozart Lieder Baird:
Tilney
Dorian DOR 90123
***Mendelssohn Fanny
Mendelssohn Lieder
Newport Classic: NPD85652
***Purcell English
Mad Songs and Ayres Baird:Tilney
Arne Dorian:
DOR 90105
Foster, Stephen Songs Baird/
UrreyAlbany Records
Albany Records: Troy
119
*** Folk Lullabies
and Dances Bill Crofut and Baird
Albany Records TROY048
***Schubert Winterreise (original
1827 version) Baird/Willis
Newport Classic 85614
Schubert Night
Songs Baird/Willis
Vox Classic 7542
Teasin': Turn of
the Century Parlour Songs and Rags
Helicon Classics HE1001
SOLO CANTATAS:
G.F. Handel: Italian
Solo Cantatas and Clérambault Dramatic Cantatas were
recorded in London and represent the first recordings of several
of these composers' rarely heard cantatas. Hasse Cantatas
and Ballads includes premiére recordings of the
works of this oft-neglected composer. It was also recorded in
London and fulfilled Dr. Baird's Noah Greenburg Award given
through the American Musicological Society.
A Baroque Christmas was
sponsored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City based
on a program performed annually in the Met's Medieval Sculpture Garden
by Dr. Baird and the Aulos ensemble about which the New York Times
Music Critics wrote: "If you can attend but one Christmas concert
this season, this is it".
Bach Cantata BWV
51 Jauchzet Gott Bach Ensemble: Rifkin
L'Oiseaux-Lyre 417
616-2
Cantatas BWV
202 and 209 Bach Ensemble: Rifkin
L'Oiseauu-Lyre 421
728-2
***Bach Solo
Cantatas: Cantata BWV 51 Jauchzet Gott
American Bach Soloists
Koch, 3-7138-2H1
Bach Cantata 140,
51 and 79 Bach Ensemble, Rifkin
L'Oiseaux Lyre 443-188
Clérambault Clérambault
Dramatic Cantatas Music's Re-creation
Meridian CDE 84182
***Handel: Handel
in Italy Baird/ J. Ostendorf
Newport Classics NCD60043
*** Handel: The
Italian Years Philomel
Dorian DOR90147
G.F. Handel:
Italian Solo Cantatas Baird/Proud
CDE 84189
Hasse Cantatas,
Ballads and Sonatas Baird/Hadden
CRD 3488
Melani, Baroque
Music of Love and War: Four Cantatas for Soprano Monteclair
Musical Heritage MHS 4757A
Montéclair French
Cantatas of the 18th century American Baroque
Koch LC 6644
Scarlatti, Bach A
Baroque Christmas Aulos Ensemble Music Masters
01512-67119-2
***Telemann: Harmonischer
Gottes-Dienst Music's Re-creation
Meridian Records CDE84159
HANDEL
OPERAS
Beginning with the acclaimed
premiere recording Imeneo in 1987 Julianne Baird has
collaborated with a group of American musicians and singers in a
series of long-neglected operas by George Frideric Handel. Deidamia, Handel's
last opera, is scheduled for release in November, 2000. Among the
premiere recordings are Siroe, Muzio, Ezio, Sosarme, Faramondo and Berenice. In
both Deidamia and Berenice, Dr. Baird
realizes the title role.
In most cases, these important
works of the great composer had lain forgotten since their London
performances in the 18th century. The project has garnered attention
from national and international music critics, and at times sparked
a flurry of comparisons with the comparable European releases. Paul
Turok , a classical music reviewer, calls the project "impressive." Stereo
Review writes: "For Baroque music fans this release is an absolute
must. Not only is the performance first rate, but it proves that
a group of American musicians is just as capable of re-creating a
large-scale Baroque vocal work as their English, French, or German
colleagues are."
*** Imeneo (premiere
recording) Palmer/Brewer
Vox cum Laude: 2-MCD10063
***Siroe (premiere
recording) Newport Classics
Newport Classic NCD60125-1/2/3
Muzio (premiere
recording) Palmer/Brewer Chamber Orchestra
Newport NPD 85540
Ezio (premiere
recording) Clark/Manhattan Chamber Orchestra
Vox Records 2-7503
***Sosarme (premiere
recording on period instruments)
NPD 85575 Amor
Artis J. Somary
***Berenice (premiere
recording-title role) Brewer Orchestra
NPD Newport 85615
***Faramondo (premiere
recording)
Vox 3-7536
Deidamia (premiere
recording) -release date November, 2000
LARGE CANTATAS AND ORATORIOS
Dr. Julianne Baird was one
of the original five singers who performed and recorded Bach's B-minor
mass with one singer to a part-- realizing musicologist Joshua Rifkin's
controversial theory of Bach's performing forces and launching a
debate still current in musicological circles today. In fact Dr.
Baird participated with Joshua Rifkin at the International Celebration
of Bach in the year 2000 by performing the Magnificat in Bach's own
Thomaskirche, Leipzig, Germany. Although the debate persists, the
critics gave their "highest scores" to Julianne Baird, who "convinced
with clear and firm arias."
Dr. Baird's soprano solos
in Handel's Messiah have garnered the highest praise from reviewers
of both her recording and performances. Most recently, James R. Oestreich,
in his comprehensive survey of recent recordings and performances
of Handel's Messiah for the N.Y. Times, concluded
with special praise for Julianne Baird's interpretative skills: "in
that respect, Ms. Baird remains the model".
Bach Cantatas from
Mühlhausen and Weimar BWV 12, 18, 61
Jeffrey Thomas: American
Bach Soloists--Koch 3-7332-2Hi
Cantatas for Holy
Week, BWV 4, 131, 182
Jeffrey Thomas: American
Bach Soloists Koch Intl 3-7235-241
Cantatas BWV 8, BWV
78, and BWV 99
Bach Ensemble/ Rifkin L'Oiseau-Lyre
421 728-2
Trauerode and BWV
156 and 8
Jeffrey Thomas: American
Bach Soloists Koch Intl 3-7163-2H1
B-minor Mass Ama
Deus Ens.
Vox Classics Vox2 7524
B-minor Mass Bach
Ensemble/Rifkin
Nonesuch Records 9 79036-2
B-minor Mass American
Bach Soloists
Koch Interational 7194
Jeffrey Thomas
Magnificat Bach
Ensemble/Rifkin
Pro Arte CDD 185
Magnificat:
Ama Deus Ensemble
Vox Records 7531
St. John Passion Brandenburg
Collegium
Newport Classics NC 60015-1/2
St John Passion Smithsonian
Chamber
Smithsonian ND 0381 Players
Handel Acis and Galatea Amor
Artis/J. Somary
Newport Classics NCD60045-1/2
Acis and Galatea Ama
Deus Ensemble
Vox2-7519
Joshua (Premiere
recording) Palmer
Newport Classics NPD85515-1/2
Alexander Balus (Premiere
recording) Palmer
Newport Classic NPD 85625
Messiah Sorrell:
Cleveland Baroque Orchestra
Onda Records: PAP9612JS
Messiah (1749
Covent Garden Performance) Radu:Ama
Deus Vox2-7502
Purcell: Excerpts
from The Fairy Queen Renz/ NY Grande Bande
Music Masters MM60188X
Purcell: Come ye Sons
of Art Renz/ Grande Bande
Music Masters MM 20005
Purcell: The Fairy
Queen Renz/ Grande Bande
Music Masters MM 20003
Scarlatti, A Ishmael (Premiere
Recording) Palmer
Newport Classics/ 85558
Vivaldi Dixit Dominus American
Boy Choir
Handel Music Masters 01612-67084-2
OPERA RECORDINGS (other composers)
Based on the Mark Twain
short story, The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is
the first recording of 20th century composer Lukas Foss's Venice
version of his opera. Likewise the intermezzo Pimpinone is
heard here in a premiere recording. Master Peter's Puppet Show and
the Orbon works comprise the last recording of the eminent Mexican
conductor Eduardo Mata who died tragically. It represents part of
his on-going project dedicated to documenting works of lesser known
Latin composers and was recorded in Mexico City. Monteverdi's Orfeo, sponsered
by Exxon, was performed in Oxford, England and in the Queen's Room
in Trafalgar Square before being recorded at the Abbey Road Studios
in London.
La Serva Padrona is
based on a scholarly edition by a Milanese Pergolesi musicolgist
Luciano Bertini..
Dido and Aeneas, with
Christopher Hogwood conductor, brought together Dr. Baird, and Emma
Kirkby, Decca's two early music sopranos. It was performed at the
Barbicon, London before being recorded at Decca Studios in greater
London.
Monteverdi Orfeo Gardiner,
English Baroque Soloists
DGG Archiv, 419-250-1/2/4
***Foss, Lukas The
Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (Premiere Recording
of Venice Version)
Clark, Newport Classic NPD 85609
Purcell Dido and
Aeneas Hogwood/Decca 436-992
***DeFalla Master
Peter's Puppet Show/Orbon / Psyche
Conductor: Eduardo
Mata (Premiere recording, Orbon)
Dorian Records DOR
90214
***Pergolesi: La
Serva Padrona (original version)
Philomel/Palmer Omega
OCD 1016
***Telemann: Pimpinone (Premiere
recording) St. Lukes Chamber Orch
Palmer
Newport Classic NCD
60117
COLLECTIONS OF RENAISSANCE MUSIC
Before becoming a soloist
and recording artist of the Baroque Early Music movement, Dr. Julianne
Baird was a member of the Waverly Consort, which specialized in Renaissance
music and performed over seventy concerts a year internationally.
Spanish Music in the
Age of Exploration: Waverly Consort
CBS Masterworks: 7464-37208-1
The Christmas Story Waverly
Consort
CBS Masterworks: 7464-37751-1
Renaissance Favorites Waverly
Consort
CBS Masterworks: 7464-37845-1
A
Renaissance Noel Polygram Vox, the Renaissance
Consort/Radu
Chorale
Settings by Michael Praetorius NY Cornet and
Sacbut Ensemble Newport
Classics NC60021
Julianne
Baird is Distinguished Professor of Music
at
Rutgers University in Camden,
New Jersey.
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Last updated
July 12, 2007