Sommer, despite his scientific career, pursued music, receiving initial composition training from Julius Otto Grimm, who was part of the Schumann-Brahms-Joachim circle.
Performer Biography
Jochen Kupfer, the bass-baritone on this album, has been awarded the honorary title Bayerischer Kammersänger and performs internationally in opera houses and concert halls.
Composition History
Sommer decided to leave his scientific career in his mid-40s to become a full-time composer, a decision reinforced by spending time in Franz Liszt's class in Weimar.
Composer Biography
Hans Sommer, the composer, was also a successful scientist, studying mathematics and becoming a professor and director of a technical university, specializing in dioptrics.
Recording & Production
This album features mostly world premiere recordings of Hans Sommer's songs, as many of his works, especially Op. 30 and Op. 40, remained virtually unknown due to publishing quirks.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Richard Strauss, a friend of Sommer, considered him an "incorrigible idealist" due to his interest in natural philosophy and American transcendentalists like Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Critical Reception
Sommer's music was largely forgotten until the 21st century, with only a two-and-a-half-minute recording of one song existing in archives.
