Immigration flows have always existed, with people leaving their native lands for various reasons, including war, persecution, deprivation, and climate change. During the interwar period of the 20th century, many top composers fled the Nazis, often finding refuge in the USA, particularly in Los Angeles and New York. This exile marked a turning point in their artistic lives, reshaping their self-perception and worldview. The folklore of their homelands became something to cherish, and pacifism emerged strongly as a response to the turmoil of fascism and communism tearing apart Europe.
Program
Kurt Weill (1900-1950): Zu Potsdam unter den Eichen
Hanns Eisler (1898-1962): Kantaten aus dem Exil (Kriegskantate & Die Römische Kantate)
Alexander von Zemlinsky (1871-1942) : Aurikelchen
Ernst Krenek (1900-1991) : Two Choruses on Jacobean Poems
Stefan Wolpe (1902-1972) : Musik zu Hamlet
Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951) : Drei Satiren op.28
– break –
Béla Bartók (1881-1945) : Contrasts
Paul Hindemith (1895-1963): Six Chansons (Rilke)
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): Six Songs for Voice and Five Instruments (arr. J.Wood)
Béla Bartók: Four Slovak Folksongs (arr. J.Wood)
Performers
Katalin Károlyi, mezzo soprano | Collegium Vocale Gent, choir | Het Collectief, ensemble | James Wood, conductor
(Arnold Schönberg Centre Vienna, picture)