Benjamin Britten, a pacifist, created his first series of folk song arrangements as a greeting to his homeland after emigrating to America during World War II.
Compositional Technique
Ludwig van Beethoven incorporated extensive pizzicato passages in his folk song arrangements, alluding to the harps of traveling minstrels believed to be the originators of the ancient tunes.
Performer Biography
Christian Gerhaher and his piano partner Gerold Huber have set new standards in lieder interpretation, performing worldwide and receiving numerous awards for their recordings.
Composition History
Joseph Haydn composed over 200 folk song arrangements for Scottish publisher George Thomson, often without knowing the lyrics, which were added later by others.
Composition History
Some of the folk song arrangements attributed to Joseph Haydn were actually composed by his student, Sigismund Neukomm, including "Fließ leise, mein Bächlein" on this album.
Compositional Technique
Benjamin Britten's folk song arrangements are notable for their piano accompaniments, which use unconventional harmonies and surprising turns to give simple melodies a magical quality.
Interpretation
Christian Gerhaher's performance of the German-language edition of these folk songs is a tribute to tenor Fritz Wunderlich, who also used this version.
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