Elly Ameling, Michele Command, Mady Mesplé, Gérard Souzay, Frederica Von Stade & Dalton Baldwin - Debussy: Mélodies

Accompanist Dalton Baldwin began his musical training at the Juilliard School of Music and then went to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he earned his B.Mus. He continued his studies in Paris with Nadia Boulanger and Madeleine Lipatti and in 1954 he began his long and successful partnership with Gérard Souzay. While maintaining his partnership with Souzay, Baldwin began to perform and record on a regular basis with Elly Ameling in 1970. In the mid-'70s, he began an association with Jessye Norman both on stage and in the recording studio. He accompanied Arleen Augér's first New York recital in 1984 and recorded an award winning disc of Love Songs with her. Concentrating primarily on the song repertoire, Baldwin was coached by composers Poulenc, Sibelius, Martin, and Barber. He has played in many world premieres, notably of Rorem's War Scenes in 1969 with Souzay. Baldwin has accompanied many singers including Mady Mesple, Edda Moser, Jennie Tourel, Marilyn Horne, Frederica von Stade, Nicolai Gedda, José van Dam, William Parker, and Steven Kimbrough. Touring with these artists has brought Baldwin to all of the major music capitals of the world. Baldwin gives lectures on the art of the accompanist and has served as artistic director for art song festivals at Westminster Choir College (Princeton, NJ), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Cleveland Institute of Music, and University of Colorado (Boulder). Before Souzay's death, he and Baldwin gave master classes in Geneva every summer for young professional singers and accompanists from around the world. Baldwin also teaches at the Manhattan School of Music and in Princeton.

Dalton Baldwin has made over one hundred recordings of song recitals and has won numerous prizes for his work with Elly Ameling and Gérard Souzay. In 1987, he was awarded the Croix de Commandant de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres by the French government. He is best known for his playing of the French repertoire and he has recorded the complete songs of Debussy, Fauré, Poulenc, Ravel, and Roussel with various artists. His recordings of Schubert and of Schumann with Ameling and Souzay are highly regarded also. Although best known in partnership with singers, Baldwin has worked with violinist Henryk Szering and cellist Pierre Fournier.

Dalton Baldwin's playing is characterized by subtle changes of tonal color and sensitivity to the needs of the performer. He has a wonderful control of dynamics and never allows the piano to overshadow the singer. Whenever possible, Baldwin returns to the Himalayas and the wildlife preserves of Africa to replenish his need for natural beauty. -- Richard LeSueur