Jess Gillam with...Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha

This Classical Life

Jess Gillam and soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha share their favourite tracks.

South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha was the winner of the Song Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2021 and is a current BBC New Generation Artist. She’s brought a track from iconic South African artist Miriam Makeba and Maria Callas singing a prayer from Verdi’s Otello, and Jess has picked a dance of death from Saint-Saens and jazz from Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker.

PLAYLIST: MAHALIA JACKSON– If I Can Help Somebody CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS – Danse macabre, Op 40 [Luben Yordandoff (violin), Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Barenboim (cond)] GIUSEPPE VERDI – Ave Maria (Otello: Act 4) [Maria Callas (sop), Orchestre de la Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Nicola Rescigno (cond)] HENRY PURCELL – Music for a While (Oedipus, Z 583) [Martin Fröst (clarinet), Sebastien Dube (double bass)] MIRIAM MAKEBA – The Click Song JIMMY MCHUGH/DOROTHY FIELDS– Don’t Blame Me (Live) [Charlie Parker Quintet] DOMENICO CIMAROSA – Sonata No 42 in D minor, arr Ólafsson [Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)] VINCENZO BELLINI – Mira, O Norma (Norma) [Joan Sutherland (sop), Montserrat Caballé (sop), Welsh National Opera Orchestra, Richard Bonynge]

Produced by Rachel Gill