Diepenbrock: Orchestral Songs

Featuring

Otto Tausk
Hans Christoph Begemann
Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen
Alphons Diepenbrock

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Diepenbrock considered his Hymne for violin and piano to be his 'lyrical discourse,' and its main theme was originally conceived as a wedding march for grand organ.

Composition History

Diepenbrock's most impressive orchestral song, Im grossen Schweigen, was composed in 1905 after the death of his mother, and was inspired by a Friedrich Nietzsche aphorism, his impending fatherhood, and a new friendship.

Composer Biography

Alphons Diepenbrock (1862-1921) was a Dutch composer who was never professionally trained as a musician, instead holding a PhD in classics and working as a teacher of Greek and Latin.

Compositional Technique

Diepenbrock's early compositions show knowledge of modern harmony, counterpoint, and textual setting, influenced by Palestrinian polyphony and Wagner's chromatic language.

Composition History

The orchestral version of Diepenbrock's Hymne for violin and piano, which assigns the violin part to all orchestral violins, was premiered in 1899 even before the original duo version.

Compositional Technique

Diepenbrock's Hymnen an die Nacht for voice and orchestra, along with other works, are considered symphonic poems with obligato voice, where the orchestra acts as stage, set, and protagonist.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Diepenbrock's Catholic background deeply influenced his life and music, leading to a predilection for vocal works and the selection of religious or poetic texts.