Edward, Op 1 No 1 (Loewe) - from CDA67830 - Hyperion Records

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Florian Boesch (baritone), Roger Vignoles (piano)» More

Reviews

‘Finley, who has one of those exquisite voices that could make poetry of the telephone directory, vividly characterises the words without recourse to the exaggerated enunciation … Drake uses all the colouristic forces he can command with wit (The Flea), bravura (Erlkönig and Wolf's spellbinding Der Feurreiter) and imagination (Loewe's Die wandelnde Glocke). As these pages have said before, it's a great partnership’ (Gramophone)

‘A new idea for the anthology disc: here is Gerald Finley, in his vocal prime, as balladeer—telling tales of misadventure and gothic horror … Finley is a fine tale-teller. In Loewe, he sounds as though he's singing just for you, the listener, so rapt and intense is his communication’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Drake's playing has successfully suited the varied repertoire. Finley has enthralled with his interpretations and delighted with his singing purely as singing, combining the two expertly. If I were a reviewer who seems to think that it is mandatory to nominate a CD as outstanding each month I might consider proposing this well-recorded issue’ (International Record Review)

‘Listen to these wonderfully melodramatic, mostly Victorian ballads by candlelight in a haunted house … performances full of raging fortissimos and ghoulish tremolandos from Finley and his pianist Julius Drake’ (The Times)

The text of 'Edward' is a translation of a grisly Scottish folk ballad from Bishop Percy’s 1765 collection Reliques of Ancient English Poetry. Wagner greatly admired Loewe’s setting, in the ‘extreme’ key of E flat minor, and far more powerful than Schubert’s surprisingly plain, muted treatment. Loewe gives each recurring cry of ‘Oh’ a psychologically revealing new twist, and reinforces the two most dramatic moments with a chilling harmonic coup: at Edward’s confession of murder (‘Ich hab’ geschlagen meinen Vater tot’), and at the hysterical final curse, where the turbulent piano conjures up a Wagnerian orchestra.

Le texte d’Edward est une traduction d’une ballade écossaise traditionnelle macabre tirée du recueil Reliques of Ancient English Poetry de l’évêque Percy. Wagner admirait beaucoup la musique de Loewe sur ce texte, dans la tonalité «extrême» de mi bémol mineur, et beaucoup plus puissante que la version éteinte et d’une incroyable simplicité proposée par Schubert. Loewe donne à chaque cri récurrent de «Oh» une nouvelle tournure révélatrice sur le plan psychologique, et renforce les deux moments les plus dramatiques avec un effet harmonique qui donne froid dans le dos lorsque Edward confesse le meurtre («Ich hab’ geschlagen meinen Vater tot») et lors de la malédiction hystérique finale, où le piano turbulent évoque un orchestre wagnérien.

extrait des notes rédigées par Richard Wigmore © 2011
Français: Marie-Stella Pâris

Der Text von Edward ist die Übersetzung einer gruseligen schottischen Volksballade aus der Sammlung Reliques of Ancient English Poetry von Thomas Percy aus dem Jahr 1765. Wagner bewunderte Loewes Vertonung in der „extremen“ Tonart es-Moll sehr, die deutlich wirkungsvoller ist, als Schuberts überraschend schlichte und zurückgehaltene Behandlung des Texts. Loewe komponiert bei jedem verzweifelten Ausruf, „Oh!“, eine neue, psychologisch aufschlussreiche Wendung ein und die beiden dramatischsten Momente werden mit einem schaurigen harmonischen Schock versehen: bei Edwards Mordgeständnis („Ich hab’ geschlagen meinen Vater tot“) und bei dem hysterischen Fluch am Ende, wo der wilde Klavierpart ein Wagner-Orchester heraufzubeschwören scheint.

aus dem Begleittext von Richard Wigmore © 2011
Deutsch: Viola Scheffel

Other albums featuring this work

Loewe: Songs & Ballads

Florian Boesch (baritone), Roger Vignoles (piano)

CDA67866

In his lifetime the German composer Carl Loewe was often referred to as the ‘Schubert of North Germany’. He is frequently credited with the development of the romantic ballad into a powerful art form. Many of the ballads on this disc are masterpie ...» More

Recording details: February 2010
All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: June 2011
Total duration: 6 minutes 38 seconds

Cover artwork: La belle dame sans merci. Sir Frank Dicksee (1853-1928)
© Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery / Bridgeman Images

Edward, Op 1 No 1

Gerald Finley (baritone), Julius Drake (piano)

Other recordings available for download

Reviews

Introduction

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