Russell Oberlin
Oberlin was one of the leading figures in the revival of early music. Despite his early retirement from singing at the age of 36, he played a vital part in reviving enthusiasm for not only the repertoire, but the countertenor voice, carrying on in the United States the revival Alfred Deller had started in England. In fact, he claimed to have been the "only true countertenor" of his period, rather than a falsettist. While mostly associated with early music, he was also a noted performer in contemporary music, particularly the role of Oberon in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Aside from reviving the voice and repertoire, he also helped redefine the expected countertenor sound by allowing vibrato and more expressiveness rather than the previous English standards of a very clean, almost preadolescent voice that sounds most natural in sacred music. Arguably, he paved the way for the more passionate performances of David Daniels, Jochen Kowalski, Derek Lee Ragin, and Brian Asawa, as well as helping create an audience for them. In his native Ohio (he was a descendant of Jean Frederic Oberlin, for whom the college, noted for its music school, is named), he performed in local choirs as a soprano, singing professionally by the time he was six. His voice first changed to a low tenor, but then rose again to tenor. In 1946, he entered Juilliard, graduating in 1951. Among his early musical jobs was an unusual stint: singing backup for Edith Piaf. Two years later, he became a founding member of New York Pro Musica, a group dedicated to reviving forgotten early music. It was while performing with Pro Musica that he "officially" changed to countertenor and began to make his mark in early music performances elsewhere. By 1959, he had so firmly established his solo career that he left Pro Musica, returning only for guest appearances. He also performed widely in the theater outside the realm of music, including the Broadway production of Lillian Hellman's adaptation of Anouilh's The Lark and the American Shakespeare Festival Theater in Connecticut. Additionally, he appeared on many of Leonard Bernstein's television music specials, created scholarly editions of Purcell's songs, and read poetry for the Lark Ascending (a New York group re-creating the feeling of musical afternoons during the times of Wharton and James.) In the mid-'60s, he began to limit his performances and concentrated on teaching, becoming professor of music at Hunter College.
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Discography
13 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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The Complete Recordings on American Decca
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 17 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel: Arias
Russell Oberlin, The Baroque Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Dunn
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 1 Jan 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
John Dowland - Lute Songs
Russell Oberlin, Joseph Iadone
Classical - Released by Lyrichord Early Music Series on 1 Nov 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Byrd: Music for Voice and Viols
Russell Oberlin, In Nomine Players
Classical - Released by Lyrichord Early Music Series on 18 Apr 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Notre Dame Organa de Santa Maria
Classical - Released by Lyrichord Early Music Series on 1 May 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
English Medieval Songs
Classical - Released by Lyrichord Early Music Series on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Troubadour and Trouvere Songs
Classical - Released by Lyrichord Early Music Series on 1 May 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Baroque Cantatas
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 17 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Russell Oberlin Recital
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 17 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Des Prez: Missa Pange Lingua / Motets & Instrumental Pieces
Russell Oberlin, Charles Bressler, Gordon Myers, Brayton Lewis, New York Pro Musica, Noah Greenberg
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 17 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Las Cantigas de Santa Maria
Classical - Released by Lyrichord Early Music Series on 1 May 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Play of Daniel
Russell Oberlin, New York Pro Musica, Noah Greenberg
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 17 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Handel Arias (Album of 1959)
Russell Oberlin, Baroque Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Dunn
Classical - Released by Casta Diva on 26 Dec 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo