The recording features two notable violins: a Januarius Gagliano from 1785 played by Katarina Andreasson, and a Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù from after 1732 played by Benjamin Herzl.
Compositional Technique
Kurt Weill's 'The New Orpheus' cantata uses popular idioms and features an orchestration that foregrounds woodwinds and brass while omitting violins.
Composition History
The text for 'The Seven Deadly Sins' was written by Bertolt Brecht, who also collaborated with Weill on the successful 'The Threepenny Opera'.
Composition History
'The Seven Deadly Sins' was commissioned by Les Ballets 1933, a short-lived company co-founded by George Balanchine, who also choreographed its premiere.
Historical Context
In 1933, Kurt Weill fled to Paris due to Hitler's rise to power, where he was commissioned to write 'The Seven Deadly Sins'.
Critical Reception
Despite its initial success, 'The New Orpheus' fell into obscurity after its 1927 premiere and was not revived until the late 20th century.
Composer Biography
Kurt Weill transitioned from experimental concert music to sung theater, consistently demonstrating gifts for dramatic expression and formal innovation.
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