Bloc3

Details: Published: 16 January 2014

Song of the weeek: Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt (H. Wolf) - T. Allen, G. Parsons

This is the 5th post of the series about the songs composed from Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship. If you missed the previous posts, here they are.

A l'entrada anterior de la sèrie érem al capítol 13 del llibre segon, quan Wilhelm és al replà de la cambra de l'arpista i el sent cantar Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß; hi entra i li demana al vell que continuï cantant. El narrador ens explica com s'estableix un curiós diàleg en el qual Wilhelm pregunta i l'arpista respon amb cançons.

Details: Published: 09 January 2014

Song of the week: L'énamourée (R. Hahn) - S. Connolly, E. Asti

The world of the opera has been discussing music and libretto's importance for centuries: whether what singers say is significant and must be understood, if the story is worthy of attention, etc. The debate has produced even two operas: Prima la musica, poi le parole, written by Antonio Salieri in the late XVIIIth century, and Capriccio. composed by Richard Strauss in 1940.

Details: Published: 02 January 2014

Song of the week: Die Könige (P. Cornelius) - B. Terfel, M. Martineau / G. Finley, The Cambridge Singers

We go on with our Christmas celebrations and this post is about the Three Kings; they are getting closer our homes and if we’ve been good guys, they will leave us their presents (unless Father Christmas has already paid you a visit, of course). And talking about the Three Kings, this is a perfect day to meet a new composer on the blog, Peter Cornelius. Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874) was born in a family of artists (painters and actors) and from childhood, he was aimed toward Arts as well, especially music, when his parents realized he was really gifted. He was in touch with important composers and poets, mainly Liszt and Wagner, but also Eichendorff, Heyse, Berlioz or Brahms, and he worked as a music teacher at [...]

Details: Published: 26 December 2013

Cancó de la setmana: That yongë child (B. Britten) - Copenhagen Boys' Choir, E. Simon

Today is The Boxing Day. As I told you last week, this is going to be a very short post, just to invite you to listen to one more song from A Ceremony of Carols.

Last week we listened to That Yongë Child, one of the carols that Britten added when he revised his work after its premiere. After that revision, the number 4 of the collection was divided in two parts: 4a, That Yongë Child, sang by a boy soprano, and 4b, Balulalow, one of original seven carols set. This part is what we are listening today; in this piece, the boy soprano begins the performing and the choir joins him at the second verse.

Details: Published: 19 December 2013

Song of the week: That yongë child (B. Britten) - Copenhagen Boys' Choir, E. Simon

You might know that, from time to time, I like straying slightly off my blog’s main subject, Art Song, and travel briefly to previous ages or different genres. Today we’re making one of these short trips: we’re having a piece of work composed upon poems, we’re having an accompanist instrument, but we won't have a song cycle, instead, a choral one. Because it's Christmas and Christmas it's time for children, and also because Benjamin Britten wrote a lovely Christmas piece for children to sing.