Paul Juon's Litaniae, his fourth piano trio, was written in 1918 and revised in 1929; he associated it with witnessing a man in distress in a Munich church.
Historical Context
Berlin, the focus of this album, has been a melting pot for artists and musicians since the time of Friedrich Wilhelm, the 'Great Elector' of Brandenburg (1620-1688).
Composer Biography
Nikos Skalkottas, a Greek composer, studied with Arnold Schoenberg in Berlin from 1927 to 1932, and Schoenberg valued him highly.
Composer Biography
Felix Mendelssohn's grandfather, Moses Mendelssohn, was a philosopher and leader of the Jewish Enlightenment, whose work opened opportunities for Jews to integrate into German society.
Compositional Technique
Paul Juon's Litaniae is cast as a single movement, resembling Richard Strauss's tone poems in scale and ambition, a rare approach in chamber music.
Compositional Technique
Nikos Skalkottas's Eight Variations on a Greek Folk Theme uniquely combines twelve-tone composition with Greek folk music, creating a work that is both intellectually dense and full of primal energy.
Album & Artwork
This album, "Berlin Stories," is the first in a series of recordings exploring music connected to different cultural capitals around the world.
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