Vale Judith

Regrettably fresh on the heels of my post concerning the death of Dietrich Fischer Dieskau, I am sad to compose another, this time commemorating the career of soprano Judith Nelson. She died on May 28, 2012.

Known widely for her work in the field of early vocal performance practice, Judith was one of the American singers who ventured to Europe during the 80s to contribute to the burgeoning interest in historically informed performance of music composed prior to (roughly) 1800. I enjoyed the wonderful opportunity to sing the M.A. Charpentier Leçons de Ténèbres with Judith in the mid-90s. It remains one of my favorite gigs to date.

Here she is singing with Emma Kirkby on their fundamental recording of the Couperin Leçons de Ténèbres.