American Coloratura Soprano Ellen Beach Yaw ~ Air du Rossignol (1907)

[SoCalStudio]

Thank you for posting this! I am doing a history of the West Los Angeles VA and Ellen Yaw performed there in 1907--actually a few times but a very memorable time in 1907. It is such a pleasure to hear what they heard. Thank you!

[gmmix]

Yaw has always interested me from the time I learned she appeared in my home town of Reading, PA in 1906 in the first concert sponsored by Geo. D. Haage--a friend of mine many years ago--who conducted a concert series locally for nearly a half century.

[mayatatyana1]

Doug, such a lovely voice. Beautiful photo. Thank you. Maya

[Kievest]

Fascinating from an historical perspective, enjoyed Yaw's

performance from l:56 to the

final spine-tingling trill! To my

ears, she experienced many

problems in pitch (could be the

technology of the time) but did

display moments of technical

virtuosity, finesse and pure beauty!

Wonderful photos and video, Doug!

Thank you!

[AulicExclusiva]

Well, she certainly had a trill. This is quite a charming performance, the last squeak notwithstanding.

[alechorseman]

Doug, thanks you for posting!!! Meltzerboy, 5 titles recorded Yaw in 1899 shown Truesound Transfers CD TT-1911. (fragments from Manon Lescaut, Die Zauberflote, L'Etoile du Nord, Les Noces de Jeanette, and *O dolce incanto*).

[meltzerboy]

Thank you for the information. It would be very interesting to hear these. I believe Selma Kurz was also one of the very first opera singers to record: do you know when her first recordings were made; about 1898-1900 or so?

[meltzerboy]

I take it that's Auber's Manon Lescaut, probably the Laughing Song (l'eclat de rire).

[CurzonRoad]

Hello alechorseman: And thanks also from here  for the data! All Best. Doug --

[Shabannie]

Thank you for providing the biographic information too. I definitely cannot do the trills.

-------Ellen

[65attila]

Love this era of singing and this excellent execution but I too prefer Sutherland.

John

[meltzerboy]

I remember Yaw recorded just the roulades of this piece c. 1898. It appeared in a 33 re-recording on the Club 99 label. The voice was somewhat more flexible in that brief excerpt. Still, no better than Sutherland's performance on her French Arias album or Feraldy's charming and definitive recording posted by Doug a few months ago, or for that matter Doria's recording. Yaw reportedly was able to reach an E7, one note higher than Mado Robin. However, she was compared unfavorably to Tetrazzini. TY

[meltzerboy]

Yaw has the hallmark features of a Marchesi student: equalized registers, a competent trill, agility, a whitish, silvery tone. An enjoyable performance.

[gmmix]

Yaw appeared in my hometown of Reading, PA

at a concert in the old Shrine Hall--in 1905. In my computer room are 8 photos of Yaw, five of them autographed. Last summer, at the Ohio Light Opera Festival in Wooster, Ohio, I saw beside a fellow who attended that Ellen Beach Yaw Elementary School. My interest in Yaw stems from that 1905 concert, the 1st in a 55-year series of Haage Concerts, founded by a friend of yesteryear. Thanks for this video.

[ginnykaren]

Gorgeous, divine and perfect. I heard those trills in her voice...just fabulous!!

Thank you for sharing!

[Bivolari]

I remember her mostly as one of those singers who had freakishly high notes. Very much in the tradition of Erna Sack and Mado Robin. It is nice to hear her without the high Z above high C. Very enjoyable.

[paulostroff99]

Very interesting style.Brava! TY Doug!

[transformingArt]

Thanks for posting this!

[CurzonRoad]

Welcome, welcome...

Cheers, etc.

Doug --