Christiane Karg - Debussy & Hahn - Vocal Works (2022) [Official Digital Download]

Weightless, floating sounds, far removed from any earthbound striving for a home key and eluding any measurable emphases; a dazzlingly bright play of colors in instrumentation and impressionist tones, combined with that affectionate, softly melodic character of the French language – that is what constitutes the special charm of the French art-song. Audibly very different from the German Lied of the Romantic and Late Romantic periods, its extremes are filled with tensions and delightful contrasts. In the concert repertoire on the German side of the Rhine, however, French solo and choral songs have remained something exotic. This selection of the finest examples from the oeuvre of both brilliant composers, written at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, offers music full of grace and impressionistic esprit that remains unique in the history of composition and art. The cantata La Damoiselle élue was the first major success of the young Claude Debussy; appreciated for its beauty and tenderness, it is heard here for the first time in Howard Arman's version with two pianos, based equally on the orchestral score and Debussy’s own, independent piano version. It is joined by several of Debussy's solo and choral songs. "L'ombre des arbres dans la rivière embrumée", the poem by the symbolist lyricist Paul Verlaine, also hinges equally between Debussy and Hahn: it was masterfully set to music by both within a brief time period. The solo songs are performed by renowned soprano Christiane Karg, accompanied by Gerold Huber on the piano. In his song and choral cycle Études latines, Reynaldo Hahn resurrected antiquity. Recreating such music not only gave the composer inspiration but also great freedom. The piano accompaniment is restrained as far as possible. These serious and tender songs reflect on the life journeys taken by a person.

TRACKLIST

1. Christiane Karg - Salut printemps, L. 24 (Arr. M. Gaillard for Women's Choir & Piano)
2. Max Hanft - Prélude
3. Angela Brower - La damoiselle élue s'appuyait
4. Christiane Karg - Je voudrais qu'il fut déjà près de moi
5. Christiane Karg - La lumière tressaillit de son côté
6. Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks - Les angélus, L. 76 (Transcr. C. Gottwald for Women's Choir)
7. Christiane Karg - No. 3, L'ombre des arbres
8. Christiane Karg - No. 6, Paysage triste
9. Daniel Behle - No. 1, Lydie
10. Christiane Karg - No. 2, Néère
11. Christiane Karg - No. 3, Salinum
12. Anna Maria Palii - No. 4, Thaliarque
13. Christiane Karg - No. 5, Lydé
14. Christiane Karg - No. 6, Vile potabis
15. Christiane Karg - No. 7, Tyndaris
16. Christiane Karg - No. 8, Pholoé
17. Tareq Nazmi - No. 9, Phidylé
18. Christiane Karg - No. 10, Phyllis



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