Me Singing – Selber singen

I received a kind request (thank you!) to upload some of this performance of “Dichterliebe” and decided that this would be a perfect presentation to honor Fischer-Dieskau’s 84th birthday on May 28. This performance comes from Fischer-Dieskau’s debut solo recital at the Salzburg Festival on August 13, 1956. His partner at the piano is Gerald Moore. “Dichterliebe”, ‘The Poet’s Love’ (composed 1840), is the best-known song cycle of Robert Schumann (Op. 48). The texts for the 16 songs come from the “Lyrisches Intermezzo” of Heinrich Heine, composed 1822-1823, published as part of the poet’s “Das Buch der Lieder”. The very natural, almost hyper-sensitive poetical affections of the poems are beautifully mirrored in Schumann’s settings, with their miniaturist chromaticism and suspensions. The poet’s love is a hothouse of nuanced responses to the delicate language of flowers, dreams and fairy-tales. Schumann adapts the words of the poems to his needs for the songs, sometimes repeating phrases and often rewording a line to supply the desired cadence. Notes from Wikipedia. English translations of the Heine poems by Paul Hindemith. Dichterliebe, Op. 48 Part 4, Songs 15-16 Aus alten Märchen winkt es Hervor mit weißer Hand, Da singt es und da klingt es Von einem Zauberland; Wo bunte Blumen blühen Im gold’nen Abendlicht, Und lieblich duftend glühen, Mit bräutlichem Gesicht; Und grüne Bäume singen Uralte Melodei’n, Die Lüfte heimlich klingen, Und Vögel schmettern drein; Und Nebelbilder …

Barbara Bonney My relationship with Angelika Kirchschlager goes back many years. When I was singing the solos on Sunday mornings in the Franziskanerkirche in Salzburg. Angelika was a girl of 12 years, singing in the choir! We made our careers, and finally got to sing on the professional stage together. We have always had so much fun together, so I decided to ask her if she wanted to make a recording of German romantic duets. I spent a year researching all of the duet repertoire, and chose my favourites, including the Morovanian duets, which are of course the centerpiece of the recordings. Angelika Kirchschlager I have known Barbara Bonney practically since my time as a college student in Salzburg. We really got to know each other well about 6-7 years ago on a concert tour. At that time we both wanted to realize a project together. This makes it all the nicer that we have now completed this wonderful recording. The nicest thing about duets is that you dont just sing with one another but actually sing simultaneously. With us you can say that both the souls and voices fit together. Malcolm Martineau Malcolm Martineau was born in Edinburgh, read Music at St. Catherines College, Cambridge and studied at the Royal College of Music. He is now amongst the worlds leading accompanists. He appears throughout Europe, North America, the Far East and Australasia with many of the worlds greatest singers. “Erste Begegnung” Robert Schumann Erste Begegnung / Von dem Rosenbusch, o Mutter …

I received a kind request (thank you!) to upload some of this performance of Dichterliebe and decided that this would be a perfect presentation to honor Fischer-Dieskau’s 84th birthday on May 28. This performance comes from Fischer-Dieskau’s debut solo recital at the Salzburg Festival on August 13, 1956. His partner at the piano is Gerald Moore. “Dichterliebe”, ‘The Poet’s Love’ (composed 1840), is the best-known song cycle of Robert Schumann (Op. 48). The texts for the 16 songs come from the “Lyrisches Intermezzo” of Heinrich Heine, composed 1822-1823, published as part of the poet’s “Das Buch der Lieder”. The very natural, almost hyper-sensitive poetical affections of the poems are beautifully mirrored in Schumann’s settings, with their miniaturist chromaticism and suspensions. The poet’s love is a hothouse of nuanced responses to the delicate language of flowers, dreams and fairy-tales. Schumann adapts the words of the poems to his needs for the songs, sometimes repeating phrases and often rewording a line to supply the desired cadence. Notes from Wikipedia. English translations of the Heine poems by Paul Hindemith. Dichterliebe, Op. 48 Part 1, Songs 1-6 Im wunderschönen Monat Mai, Als alle Knospen sprangen, Da ist in meinem Herzen Die Liebe aufgegangen. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai, Als alle Vögel sangen, Da hab’ ich ihr gestanden Mein Sehnen und Verlangen. In the wonderfully beautiful month of May When all the buds are bursting open, There, from my own heart, Bursts …