The Song of Songs, The Poet in Exile: Works by Walter Arlen
11/15/2024, 17 Tracks, 52:15
Featuring
Anna Huntley
Gwilym Bowen
Thomas Mole
Kenneth Woods
BBC Women’s Chorus of Wales
BBC Symphony Orchestra
English Symphony Orchestra
Walter Arlen
Did you know?
1/7
Historical Context
Arlen's family, a prominent Jewish family in Vienna, suffered greatly after the 1938 annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany, with their home invaded, his father arrested, and their store 'aryanised'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Arlen intentionally did not want his own music performed publicly while he was active as a music critic.
Composer Biography
Walter Arlen, born Walter Aptowitzer in Vienna, was the grandson of Leopold Dichter, who founded a department store in 1890, making his family one of the wealthiest in the city.
Composition History
Arlen's compositional silence was broken in 1986 when his future husband, Howard Myers, presented him with translations of poems by St. John of the Cross, which deeply resonated with Arlen.
Composer Biography
Walter Aptowitzer changed his name to Arlen upon arriving in America, a suggestion made by a family friend who met him in Chicago.
Composer Biography
Walter Arlen worked as a music critic for the Los Angeles Times and later founded and chaired the music department at Loyola Marymount University for 30 years.
Composition History
The Song of Songs, originally a UCLA project from 1953, was written for 112 instruments and later reduced to 38 under Arlen's supervision.
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