Ae Fond Kiss

Edith Wiens (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 1998)
• Label: Cbc Records (Can)
• ASIN: B00000DCR6
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,010,414 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Early One Morning, for voice & piano

2. Old Derry Air, for voice & orchestra

3. Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes, for voice & orchestra

4. Ae Fond Kiss, for voice & orchestra

5. If Thou Must Love Me, for voice & piano

6. Sweet, Be Not Proud, for voice & piano

7. Martha, opera: The Last Rose of Summer

8. Bohemian Girl, opera: IDreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls

9. Home, Sweet Home!, song for voice & piano (from the operetta 'Clari')

10. Long Time Ago, song for voice & piano (Old American Songs)

11. Simple Gifts, song for voice & piano (Old American Songs)

12. At the River, song for voice & piano (Old American Songs II)

13. Songs My Mother Taught Me, song for voice and piano, S. 361 (K. 6B21c)

14. Berceuse, song for voice & piano, S. 220 (K. 6B41d)

15. An Old Flame, song for voice & piano, S. 314 (K. 6B23c)

16. A Night Song, song for voice & piano, S. 310 (K. 6B21)

17. Open Thy Lattice, Love for voice & piano

18. Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, for voice & piano

19. If You've Only Got a Moustache, for voice & piano

20. When you and I were young, Maggie

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful voice, beautiful heart, beautiful music, May 10, 2006

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ae Fond Kiss (Audio CD)

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.