Alexander Zemlinsky: Songs

Alexander Zemlinsky: Songs

Sieben Lieder (1889-1890, posthumous songs)
Six mélodies, Op. 13 (to poems by Maurice Maeterlinck)
Walzergesänge nach toskanischen Liedern, Op. 6
Fünf Lieder (1895-96, posthumous songs)
Zwei Brettl-Lieder (1901)

Hermine Haselböck, mezzo-soprano
Florian Henschel, piano

BRIDGE 9244

Click here for an mp3 sample

This disc by the remarkable young Austrian mezzo-soprano Hermine Haselböck includes Zemlinsky's vocal masterpiece, the Op. 13 Songs after Poems by Maurice Maeterlinck. Webern and Berg were great admirers of these songs which revolve around the premonition of, and longing for death. Written at the peak of Zemlinsky's career, these along with the Lyric Symphony, the Strings Quartets 2 and 3, and the one-act operas A Florentine Tragedy and The Dwarf were Zemlinsky's strongest works, and established his posthumous fame. Three of the groups of songs on this disc come from the posthumous volume published by Zemlinsky researcher Antony Beaumont in 1995 and include songs influenced by both folkloric themes and cabaret. Originally released in Europe, this fascinating disc went almost unnoticed and was quickly out of print. This coming Spring, look for Bridge's “Songs of Franz Schreker” with mezzo Hermine Haselböck and baritone Wolfgang Holzmair.