
Welcome to the second episode of Classical Gas, a new podcast series created by radio host and producer Gail Wein and hosted by Classical Voice North America.
The focus of this episode is American soprano Lucy Shelton, the internationally recognized exponent of 20th- and 21st-Century repertoire who has premiered more than a hundred works by many of today’s preeminent composers. In a wide-ranging discussion with Wein, Shelton discusses and demonstrates the pathbreaking use of the voice in Schoenberg’s freely atonal Pierrot Lunaire from the standpoint of Shelton’s vast experience with the expressive vocal techniques employed by the modern composers whose works she has performed.

Wein recently launched Classical Gas with a look back at the challenging art of Charles Ives, who has been the subject of sesquicentennial celebrations. Wein explained that she chose the name Classical Gas because of its multiple implications: “Gas could be fuel or fun. It’s also a subtle reference to those of us of a certain age who recall the 1970s earworm guitar instrumental by Mason Williams.”
The veteran New York-based music journalist, radio host, and media consultant has contributed valuable commentary on NPR and other media outlets while also writing for Classical Voice North America. Find her other stories here. Find her other stories here.