Wolf, Hugo (1860-1903)

[Serial_Apologist]

I came across this "miniature" - actually, it is a quite large single movement work for string quartet - totally by surprise, listening "blind" to TTN a few nights ago - assuming it must be some early piece by Schoenberg or Webern that must have passed me by, only to discover it was by Hugo Wolf, but giving me an opportunity to introduce his presence into our list of composers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcG5bYup-Gs

Having excavated, I checked the link below to discover to my astonishment that Wolf composed the piece in 1886. It begins with an air of insouciance not far removed from Richard Strauss in, let's say, a coy frame of mind; then, at approximately 1'15", 3'40", 6'45" and 8'20" he weaves the rising chromatic part of the introductory motto theme - which from the word go is being subjected to variations in free counterpoint including inversion - into the texture in such a way as briefly to circumvent the metric continuity and tear apart the tonal anchorages so elegantly stated in the exposition, in effect launching what Reger, Mahler, and especially Schoenberg and Webern were to push further in their music, thereby effectively launching the breakdown of diatonic harmonic procedures nearly twenty years in advance of them.

Remarkable!

http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/wolf-intermezzo.htm

[Jonathan]

He actually wrote some rather interesting paraphrases on Wagner for piano solo. These have been recorded by the marvellous Ana-Marija Markovina and are well worth a listen (if you like transcriptions!)

Not sure if he wrote any original piano music, I'll have to check...

[Serial_Apologist]

I came across this "miniature" - actually, it is a quite large single movement work for string quartet - totally by surprise, listening "blind" to TTN a few nights ago - assuming it must be some early piece by Schoenberg or Webern that must have passed me by, only to discover it was by Hugo Wolf, but giving me an opportunity to introduce his presence into our list of composers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcG5bYup-Gs

Having excavated, I checked the link below to discover to my astonishment that Wolf composed the piece in 1886. It begins with an air of insouciance not far removed from Richard Strauss in, let's say, a coy frame of mind; then, at approximately 1'15", 3'40", 6'45" and 8'20" he weaves the rising chromatic part of the introductory motto theme - which from the word go is being subjected to variations in free counterpoint including inversion - into the texture in such a way as briefly to circumvent the metric continuity and tear apart the tonal anchorages so elegantly stated in the exposition, in effect launching what Reger, Mahler, and especially Schoenberg and Webern were to push further in their music, thereby effectively launching the breakdown of diatonic harmonic procedures nearly twenty years in advance of them.

Remarkable!

http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/wolf-intermezzo.htm

This was re-broadcast at 0428 last night on TTN - I was lucky enough to net it!

[gurnemanz]

Thanks for that. I'm a Wolf fan with completist tendencies, so this is an intriguing addition. Still a few songs to track down. I recently got this CD of his incidental music written for a Vienna production of Henrik Ibsen's Das Fest auf Solhaug. Neglected and no doubt mainly of niche interest but a fascinating curiosity, well worth a listen.

[bluestateprommer]

Not sure if the Hugo Wolf aficionados have already checked out this Wigmore Hall video, with a tie-in to a new book on HW from Richard Stokes, but just in case not:

https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/live-streams/wolf-song-gala

I admit that I'm not quite 1/3 of the way through it, but so far, so good.

[Serial_Apologist]

Not sure if the Hugo Wolf aficionados have already checked out this Wigmore Hall video, with a tie-in to a new book on HW from Richard Stokes, but just in case not:

https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/live-streams/wolf-song-gala

I admit that I'm not quite 1/3 of the way through it, but so far, so good.

[gurnemanz]

Not sure if the Hugo Wolf aficionados have already checked out this Wigmore Hall video, with a tie-in to a new book on HW from Richard Stokes, but just in case not:

https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/live-streams/wolf-song-gala

I admit that I'm not quite 1/3 of the way through it, but so far, so good.

Thanks for the Wigmore link. Just dipped in on YouTube. Busy with Oxford Lieder stream at the moment but will certainly follow up properly.

Stokes book also ordered. Looks like an essential purchase and good addition to Eric Sams.

[Mandryka]

I stumbled by accident on Ruth Ziesak’s recording of the Italian Songbook the other week and was really impressed. So I took a punt on her CD of songs (Goethe and Moerike). That was a good punt! She’s got a wonderful voice, and she interprets these pieces very naturally. She makes the words sound meaningful. This

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolf-Ruth-Ziesak-Ulrich-Eisenlohr/dp/B000025IJG

[smittims]

There's certainly room for fresh Wolf interpretations, since Schwarzkopf and Fischer-Dieskau, who dominated the discography for so many years, are now history; Indeed, I expect many younger listeners find them dated and over-refined.

For me, though, the difficulty is in avoiding comparison with the classic Wolf interpreters of the thirties: Gerhardt, Lehmann, Rethberg, Kipnis, Husch et al.

[Mandryka]

Yes. I listened to some Schlusnus the other day and it was exceptional.

[Mandryka]

Recommendations appreciated for the three Michelangelo songs. I have and love Hotter on Testament - I want to hear others!

[smittims]

I don't know if the HMV/Warner set of the 1930s Wolf society recordings is still available. In my view that is where you will hear the finest Wolf singing ever put on disc. Apart frorm that, Elisabeth Schumann made some memorable late recordings. Her 1945 In die Fruhe with Gerald Moore was my conversion to this conposer.

[gurnemanz]

Recommendations appreciated for the three Michelangelo songs. I have and love Hotter on Testament - I want to hear others!

I recently discovered Heinz Rehfuss in these works via a recommended Aussie Eloquence issue: https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...decca-recitals
Lovely tone.

Alexander Kipnis on the Wolf Society recordings is another favourite. Also here, deleted but available: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000023...ur_lnd_albm_fr

(PS Also only recently discovered Rehfuss with Maureen Forrester in a classsic recording of Mahler Wunderhorn songs. It has become a favourite version: https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...ben-wunderhorn)

[Mandryka]

Will check Rehfuss; Kipnis is wonderful - excellent transfer on Music and Arts.

(I started to get interested in these songs after listening to the Britten op 60 nocturne again, for the first time in a long time. It strikes me that they both have the same sense of melancholy yearning. )

[Mandryka]

Has anyone heard the John Shirley Quirk/Janet Baker Italienisches Liederbuch? I'm tempted to order it.