So Lit Song Lit

Cincy Song Initiative
  • 4.9 (8)
  • MUSIC
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

This is So Lit Song Lit, where we reimagine the repertoire by introducing less familiar songs through sound clips and lively discussion! Together we’ll be exploring songs by composers that you may or may not have heard of already, showing how they compare to standard works, and giving you a taste of what they sound like. Join us down the rabbit hole as we expand the song canon!

  1. 2D AGO

    Agathe Backer-Gröndahl

    Norwegian composer Agathe Backer-Gröndahl (1847-1907) studied piano with Franz Liszt and became a concert pianist well-known for performing Chopin and Beethoven. She took some time off performing when she married, but when her husband supported her return to performing, she started playing her own music! In case you want to try the Tongue Twister we mentioned: Im dichten Fichtendickicht nicken dicke Fichten tüchtig Much of the information this season comes from Karin Pendle's Women and Music: A History. Musical clips performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, piano: Op 14 Deutsche Lieder No 1 Ein FichtenbaumNo 5 UnruheOp 60 Deutsche Liebeslieder No 3 Namenloses WehNo 5 Es muss was Wunderbares seinRecorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA. Exactly Counter--Ellen 1, Toni 0 ***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts. You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com. You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.

    18 min

  2. FEB 3

    Clara Kathleen Rogers

    Clara Kathleen Rogers (1844-1931) was the youngest child of a British opera composer (John Barnett), who studied music at the conservatory in Leipzig, Germany. She became a prima donna opera singer in Italy under the pseudonym Clara Doria before settling in the US in Boston, MA. She went on to join the music faculty at the New England Conservatory of music and she wrote a book on English Diction! Musical clips performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, piano: Op 27 Browning Songs, First Series ApparitionsAh, Love, but a DayThe Year's at the SpringOp 32 Browning Songs, Second Series My StarRecorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA. Exactly Counter--Ellen 2, Toni 0 ***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts. You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com. You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.

    17 min

  3. JAN 20

    Elfrida Andrée

    Elfrida Andrée (1841-1929) was a leader in the equal rights movement in Sweden--she fought to change the law that kept women from church jobs, and was one of the first women to be appointed as organist of a church in Sweden. Her sister became an opera singer and Elfrida made a career as a conductor as well as organist and composer. We mentioned the Swedish Musical Heritage website, where they are cataloguing and uploading scores of Swedish composers. Look for the little crown emblem for songs that are available for download. If you want to study up on your Swedish diction, check out Anna Hersey's Scandinavian Song, a diction book that covers Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish. Much of the information this season comes from Karin Pendle's Women and Music: A History. Musical clips performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, piano: Opus 8 (Three songs with piano) (the score download is available at the bottom of the page) En vacker höstdagVi ses igenVisa en vårmorgonRecorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA. "Exactly" counter--Ellen 1, Toni 0 ***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts. You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com. You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.

    12 min
  4. Bonus: Song Cycle Holiday Party!

    12/23/2025 · BONUS

    Bonus: Song Cycle Holiday Party!

    We're wrapping up 2025 by bringing Cincinnati Song Initiative's podcast hosts together for our annual Holiday Party! Join us in looking back on a wonderful year with peaks and pits from all of our hosts, then test your knowledge with games like "Guess that Song" and "Two Truths and a Lie: Composer Edition." Which composer walked the streets of Paris with a hammer in his suit pocket? Which composers did - and didn't - study with Nadia Boulanger? (Spoiler: even our hosts get stumped plenty of times!) Thanks for a great year of song, and here's to a musically rewarding 2026! Follow Song Cycle with Sam Martin and Laura Strickling here.Follow Follow the Lieder with Mandee Madrid-Sikich here. ***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts. You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com. You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.

    50 min

  5. 12/16/2025

    Ingeborg Bronsart

    Ingeborg Bronsart (1840-1913) was a concert pianist who continued her musical career even after her marriage. She was close with many of the important composers of the time, including Berlioz and Wagner, as well as studying piano with Lizst. Bronsart also composed operas, which shines through in her Lieder compositions! Musical clips performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, piano: Die LoreleyOp. 25 Drei LiederSang wohl, sang das VogeleiHeidenrösleinIch stand in dunkeln TräumenAbendlied (Op. 16 No. 1)Recorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA. ***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts. You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com. You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.

    24 min

  6. 12/02/2025

    Pauline Viardot (ft. Dr. Melanie Taylor)

    Pauline Viardot (1821-1910) was one of the most important musicians of her time. An opera singer and concert pianist as well as a composer, she spoke at least 5 languages fluently and composed stylistically correct in each of those languages! She also taught voice and composed many of her songs to teach her students. This episode focuses on her French mélodies. We are very excited to have Dr. Melanie Taylor, soprano, with us for this episode; she did her doctoral thesis on Pauline Viardot's songs, and has lots of incredible stories of her life to share with us! Her thesis was titled The Songs of Pauline Viardot-Garcia: Proposed Alternatives to Commonly Assigned Repertoire in the University Voice Studio. Musical clips performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, piano: HavanaiseHaï luliBonjour mon cœurMazurka No. 31 in Ab (Chopin)Seize ansRecorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA. ***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts. You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com. You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree You can find out more about Dr. Melanie Taylor at her website. This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.

    27 min

  7. 11/18/2025

    Augusta Browne, Jane Sloman, Faustina Hasse Hodges

    In the 1800s, women in America were mostly only allowed to compose "Parlor Songs", sentimental pieces that were intended to be sung at home by amateurs rather than on the recital stage. But there are a lot of beautiful pieces that came out of this time period! This episode focuses on Augusta Browne (1820-1882), Jane Sloman (1824-after 1850), and Faustina Hasse Hodges (1823-1895). Musical clips performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, and Ellen Rissinger, piano: Browne-The Courier DoveBrowne-The Song of the SkylarkSloman-Queen of the NightHodges-The Dreary Day Recorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA. "Exactly" counter--Ellen 2 (21), Toni 1 (4)***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts. You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com. You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.

    23 min

  8. 11/04/2025

    Josephine Lang

    Josephine Lang (1815-1880) came from a musical family in Munich and her musical talent developed very early. She composed her first songs at age 13 and has about 150 Lieder to her credit, many of which were published by major publishing houses during her lifetime. Her songs are full-on Romantic, with incredible melodies and often a wide range required of the singer with a somewhat operatic sweep. Musical clips performed by Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano, Troy Cook, baritone, and Ellen Rissinger, piano: All of these songs are found in Josephine Lang: Selected Songs. Hildegard Publishing also has published two volumes of her songs. O sehntest du dich so nach mirScheideblick (sung by Troy)Lied (Immer sich rein)Ob ich manchmal dein gedenkeUnd wüssten's die Blumen (sung by Troy)Recorded at Morningstar Studios in Norristown, PA. "Exactly" counter--Ellen 3 (19), Toni 1 (3)***So Lit Song Lit is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts. You can follow Ellen and The Diction Police on Facebook and at www.dictionpolice.com. You can follow Toni Marie on Facebook at Toni Marie Palmertree, soprano and Instagram @ToniMariePalmertree You can find out more about Troy Cook on his website, https://www.troycookbaritone.com/ This episode is sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University. Learn more about CMU and apply today.

    20 min
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This is So Lit Song Lit, where we reimagine the repertoire by introducing less familiar songs through sound clips and lively discussion! Together we’ll be exploring songs by composers that you may or may not have heard of already, showing how they compare to standard works, and giving you a taste of what they sound like. Join us down the rabbit hole as we expand the song canon!

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