This album, titled 'Selige Stunde', is the first in a series of recordings made by Jonas Kaufmann and Helmut Deutsch during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
Cultural Impact
Carl Bohm's 'Still wie die Nacht' was a popular song found in many musical homes in the first half of the 20th century, often in lieder albums.
Interpretation
The pieces on this album were chosen from Jonas Kaufmann and Helmut Deutsch's personal wish list, and could be considered an 'album of encores'.
Recording & Production
Due to lockdown restrictions, the album was recorded in a private setting rather than a studio, which allowed for more spontaneity and an atmosphere closer to the intimate salons where many of these pieces were originally performed.
Cultural Impact
Alois Melichar's arrangement of Chopin's Étude op. 10/3, titled 'In mir klingt ein Lied', was extremely popular and recorded by many singers, including Karel Gott.
Composition History
Chopin himself was pleased with vocal transcriptions of his Étude op. 10/3, having heard Maria Malibran sing one such 'adaptation' in London in 1837.
Performer Biography
Jonas Kaufmann and Helmut Deutsch have been working together for almost 30 years, since their first meeting in 1991 when Kaufmann was a student and Deutsch was a professor of lieder performance.
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