My NTS
Live now

Cathy Berberian

Cathy Berberian

Cathy Berberian has been played on NTS over 10 times, featured on 13 episodes and was first played on 19 September 2016.

Cathy Berberian (Attleboro, Massachusetts, July 4, 1925 - Rome, Italy, March 6, 1983) was a composer, mezzo-soprano singer, and vocalist.

From 1950 to 1966 she was married to composer Luciano Berio, who deconstructed her voice in Thema (Omaggio a Joyce) (1958) and wrote his Circles (1960) and Recital I (for Cathy) (1972) for her. In addition Sylvano Bussotti, John Cage, Hans Werner Henze and Igor Stravinsky wrote works for her voice. She interpreted contemporary avant-garde music, Armenian folk songs, Monteverdi, The Beatles, and her own compositions. Her best known work is her Stripsody (1966), in which she exploits her vocal technique using comic book sounds.

She is a trivial pursuit question for classic rock fan baby boomers: Who is Cathy Berberian in the Steely Dan song "Your Gold Teeth" from the 1973 album Countdown To Ecstasy?

"Even Cathy Berberian knows/There's one roulade she can't sing."

read more

Cathy Berberian

Cathy Berberian has been played on NTS over 10 times, featured on 13 episodes and was first played on 19 September 2016.

Cathy Berberian (Attleboro, Massachusetts, July 4, 1925 - Rome, Italy, March 6, 1983) was a composer, mezzo-soprano singer, and vocalist.

From 1950 to 1966 she was married to composer Luciano Berio, who deconstructed her voice in Thema (Omaggio a Joyce) (1958) and wrote his Circles (1960) and Recital I (for Cathy) (1972) for her. In addition Sylvano Bussotti, John Cage, Hans Werner Henze and Igor Stravinsky wrote works for her voice. She interpreted contemporary avant-garde music, Armenian folk songs, Monteverdi, The Beatles, and her own compositions. Her best known work is her Stripsody (1966), in which she exploits her vocal technique using comic book sounds.

She is a trivial pursuit question for classic rock fan baby boomers: Who is Cathy Berberian in the Steely Dan song "Your Gold Teeth" from the 1973 album Countdown To Ecstasy?

"Even Cathy Berberian knows/There's one roulade she can't sing."

Original source: Last.fm

Tracks featured on

Most played tracks

Folk Songs
Luciano Berio, BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Juilliard Ensemble, Cathy Berberian
RCA Red Seal1971
Folk Songs
Luciano Berio, Cathy Berberian
BMG Classics, RCA Victor Gold Seal1995
Sinfonia
Luciano Berio, The Swingle Singers, The New York Philharmonic, Cathy Berberian
CBS1969
Stripsody (Comics Opera)
Cathy Berberian
Edizioni D'Arte Roma1966
Recital I (For Cathy)
Berio, Cathy Berberian, The London Sinfonietta
RCA Red Seal1973
Visage
Luciano Berio, The Swingle Singers, The New York Philharmonic, Cathy Berberian
CBS1969
Girl
Cathy Berberian
Fontana1966
Stripsody
Cathy Berberian
Virgin Classics1988
Stripsody
Cathy Berberian
Wergo1971