The texts for Eine Art Chansons are largely from the 'Wiener Gruppe' (Viennese Group) of poets, including Ernst Jandl and Gerhard Rühm, with a tendency towards phonetic poems.
Historical Context
In post-war Vienna, young artists like H.C. Artmann and Friedrich Cerha met at 'Strohkoffer,' a basement coal storage, to discuss ideas and art suppressed by the Nazis.
Composer Biography
Friedrich Cerha deserted twice from the German Wehrmacht in 1944/1945 and waited out World War II as a hut keeper and alpine guide in Tirol.
Compositional Technique
The 60-minute cycle of Eine Art Chansons is multi-layered, combining artistic linguistic and formal games with everyday satires, popular grotesques, and political criticism.
Performer Biography
HK Gruber, the chansonnier on this album, co-founded the 'MOB art & tone ART' ensemble in 1968, which sought alternatives to contemporary music and modern art.
Interpretation
HK Gruber, the chansonnier, developed his singing technique by narrating texts at prescribed pitches in a talking manner, avoiding exaggerated singing techniques like artificial vibrato.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Friedrich Cerha aimed to replace the 'aura of the art song' with the directness of the chanson, moving from 'elite art' to the world of cabaret while maintaining musical standards.
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(with spoken text and melodramas in English)
