Musical Romanticism, explored by Pieter de Oude.
Alexander Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony is a large cycle of seven songs for soprano, baritone and orchestra, and in its structure and intention is certainly related to Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. Tagore’s Bengali poetry is a charged and emotive imagery, which urges the composer to delve into themselves musically and to allow the score to evoke great feelings. In fact, the Lyric Symphony is a conversation between the two singers, who are on their way and searching for the Great Lake, in a metaphorical sense: life, love, death and transfiguration. Zemlinsky does not shy away from quoting himself and others. The grand musical gesture appealed to the public and to his colleagues such as Alban Berg and Arnold Schoenberg. In addition, you will hear an intimate but heavenly work by Edward Elgar: Sospiri, for strings, harp and harmonium.
Playlist:
- Alexander Zemlinsky – Lyric Symphony
Deborah Voigt, soprano / Bryn Terfel, baritone / Wiener Philharmoniker conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli
- Edward Elgar – Sospiri
BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Davis
