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Track(s) taken from CDA67866

Edward, Op 1 No 1

First line:
Dein Schwert, wie ist's von Blut so rot?
composer
1818
author of text
traditional Scottish; Bishop Percy's 1765 collection Reliques of Ancient English Poetry
translator of text

Florian Boesch (baritone), Roger Vignoles (piano)
Recording details: May 2010
All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: May 2011
Total duration: 5 minutes 15 seconds

Cover artwork: The Fisherman and the Syren: From a ballad by Goethe (1857). Frederic Leighton (1830-1896)
© Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery / Bridgeman Images
 

Other recordings available for download

Gerald Finley (baritone), Julius Drake (piano)

Reviews

‘As for the singing, I cannot praise it too highly. Florian Boesch has a warmly attractive baritone voice and his diction is first class, as is his response to the word meanings. Roger Vignoles's accompaniments, too, give great pleasure in themselves, especially in the pictorial devices which Loewe so relishes. The recording, as we expect from Hyperion, is first-class … if you are new to Loewe's music, I do urge you to try this richly rewarding CD. You won't be disappointed’ (Gramophone)

‘Boesch's performance demonstrates huge imaginative variety in characterisation … in such ways, Boesch emulates Loewe's own reputation, singing to his own accompaniment, as an 'actor-singer'. Vignoles matches him in playing of perception in what is pretty well an ideal introduction to a fascinating figure’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘There is no better introduction to this great song composer; there are scarcely any more perfect song recitals on disc’ (Classical Music)
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.

from notes by Richard Wigmore © 2011

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

The Ballad Singer
CDA67830
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