Search - Edith Wiens :: Ae Fond Kiss

Beautiful voice, beautiful heart, beautiful music

Craig Matteson | Ann Arbor, MI | 05/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this disk when I heard the title track on CBC radio. The song in the arrangement by Healy Willan is gorgeous and achingly sad. Edith Wiens won me over immediately with her beautiful voice and the way her singing invites us to feel the love and hurt in the song. It is hard to tell from the words whether it is the love or the hurt that is the greater emotion. The only event I can conceive of that would contain such complete love and utter pain would be the death of one's love, and the words are even more powerful in such a setting.



Ae fond kiss and then we sever

Ae farewell and then forever

Deep in heart wrung tears I'll pledge thee

Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee



These are words adapated from a poem by Robert Burns, a man who knew how to write.



Imagine my delight when the rest of the disk contained treat after treat. Songs and ballades by Copeland, Ives, Foster, Britten, MacMillan, Lucas, Butterfield, and others. There are art songs and such familiar songs (or were familiar in my generation and earlier) as "Home, Sweet Home", "The Last Rose of Summer", Jeanie with the light brown hair", "Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes" and more.



Edith Wiens is a wonderful Canadian soprano who grew up as a Mennonite in Vancouver and attended Bible College there. She spent three years in Hanover on scholarship studying music and received her Masters (and later an honorary doctorate) from Oberlin. She sings all over the world and gives well received master classes - I am aware of one at Julliard as well. She has sung major roles in operas including several of Mozart's and her recitals are well loved. Once you hear her voice, you will fall for her singing as well."