Korngold's early songs, composed at ages thirteen and fourteen, show musical sensitivity, characterization, and formal proportion, with some pieces featuring interesting experiments like impressionistic piano movements or dissonant soundworlds.
Performer Biography
Klaus Simon, the pianist and conductor on this album, is also the artistic director of the Holst Sinfonietta and the Young Opera Company, focusing on 20th-century music.
Composition History
Many of Korngold's early songs, including those intended for his 'Op. 5' cycle, remained unpublished because his father, Julius Korngold, did not approve of them.
Recording & Production
This album features world premiere recordings of several songs by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Korngold's conception of song adhered to the Romantic ideal, focusing on intimate, intense forms with simple, singable melodies, contrasting with trends towards large-scale concert music.
Composer Biography
Korngold's career as a 'serious composer' was diverted into operetta adaptations and film music, leading him to emigrate to the United States during the Nazi era.
Composer Biography
Erich Wolfgang Korngold, the composer, was the son of the well-known music critic Julius Korngold and was initially regarded as a compositional Wunderkind.
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