Symphonische Gesänge
by Alexander von Zemlinsky
Opus20
Composed1929 (1929)
DedicationTo the memory of Ida
Performed8 April 1935 — Brno
Published1977
Duration18 minutes
Movements7
ScoringBaritone (or alto) and orchestra

Symphonische Gesänge, Op. 20 (English: Symphonic Songs) is a set of songs for baritone (or alto) and orchestra composed in 1929 by Austrian composer Alexander von Zemlinsky.

Composition

Zemlinsky composed the songs in the early part of 1929 and orchestrated them in the summer of that year while holidaying in Juan-les-Pins.[1] The composer used texts extracted from a Viennese anthology of poems from the Harlem Renaissance entitled Afrika Singt (English: Africa Sings), edited by Anna Nussbaum and published in early 1929.[2] The set was dedicated to the memory of Zemlinsky's wife Ida who had died in January 1929. The text was edited by Wilhelm Grosz and translated by Jean Forman.[3]

Zemlinsky's direct experience of African societies and music was limited. However, he identified with the plight of black Americans as it reflected the post-World War I experience of many Jews in both Germany and Austria [4]

The work was premiered in a studio broadcast in Brno on 8 April 1935, conducted by Heinrich Jalowetz. The score was published in 1977 by Universal Edition.[5]

Structure and style

The set features a total of seven songs and has a performance duration of approximately 18 minutes. The titles of the songs are as follows:

  1. Lied aus Dixieland (text by Langston Hughes)
  2. Lied der Baumwollpacker (text by Jean Toomer)
  3. Totes braunes Mädel (text by Countee Cullen)
  4. Übler Bursche (text by Langston Hughes)
  5. Erkenntnis (text by Langston Hughes)
  6. Afrikanischer Tanz (text by Langston Hughes)
  7. Arabeske (text by Frank Horne)

In common with other works from the same period such as his String Quartet No. 3 and his opera Der Kreidekreis, Zemlinsky relies on tight motivic cells, static ostinato patterns and restraint characteristic of Neue Sachlichkeit.[6] The austere, Berg-like, pared-down style is far from the jazzy, rhythmic "swing" he used in some other compositions from this period, developed after having conducted Ernst Krenek's Jonny spielt auf and Kurt Weill's Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, two operas that incorporate jazz elements into their musical idiom.[3][2]

Instrumentation

The orchestra consists of: piccolo, two flutes, three oboes (3rd doubling cor anglais), two clarinets in B-flat, bass clarinet (doubling E-flat clarinet), three bassoons (3rd doubling contrabassoon), two horns in F, three trumpets in C, three trombones, bass tuba, timpani, percussion (3-4 players), mandolin and a full string section.[7]

Recordings

The following is a list of some of the most notable recordings of this work:

Conductor Orchestra Baritone (or alto) Label Year of Recording
Riccardo Chailly Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Willard White Decca Records 1993[8]

References

  1. ↑ Beaumont, Antony: 'Zemlinsky', Faber and Faber, 2000.
  2. 1 2 "Symphonic Songs, for mezzo-soprano… | Details". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  3. 1 2 Simeone, Nigel (2015). Liner Notes in Decca 478 8347. Decca Music Group Limited.
  4. ↑ Diedrich, Maria I. (2011). From Black to Schwarz: Cultural Crossovers Between African America and Germany. LIT Verlag Münster. ISBN 9783643101099. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  5. ↑ Zemlinsky, Alexander (1977). Symphonische Gesänge: für eine Bariton- (oder Alt- ) Stimme und Orchester, op. 20. Partitur (in German). Universal Edition.
  6. ↑ Moskovitz, Marc (2010). Alexander Zemlinsky: A Lyric Symphony. Boydell & Brewer. ISBN 9781843835783. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  7. ↑ "Zemlinsky - Sinfonische Gesänge for baritone (or alto) and orchestra". Universal Edition. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  8. ↑ "Zemlinsky* – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra*, Wiener Philharmoniker, Riccardo Chailly / Marc*, Hagegård*, White*, Slovak Philharmonic Choir* - Lyrische Symphonie · Symphonische Gesänge". Discogs. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
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