The Sunday Musical Offering ~ Johannes Brahms: Liebeslieder-Walzer op.52 PLUS an Extra Surprise!

Yesterday's Facebook query netted 40 responses. With 100% of the vote tallied, Johannes Brahms "narrowly" beat Benjamin Britten, 75% to 25%. Hang in there, you supporters of fine English music, Britten will have his day on The Sunday Musical Offering.

What selection from the Brahms collection to play? So many suggestions.... but no one offered the Liebeslieder Waltzes. I came to know these delightful and moving songs during my conservatory days and actually performed them at Alice Tully Hall, much like the clip below. Brahms composed these 18 melodies in 1869. Here are three selections from Opus 52. This is the Ensemble Vocal Aedes with Victorien Vanoosten, Tristan Raës playing the piano under the direction of Mathieu Romano.

But WAIT! There's More......



Neal Campbell reminded me that yesterday was the birthday of Gerald Finzi who was born on July 14, 1901. A brilliant composer whose songs were best performed, in my opinion, by Dame Janet Baker. In the clip below she sings two classics by Finzi: Come Away Death, It Was a Lover and His Lass. These two songs are the first and last of Finzi's Song Cycle 'Let Us Garlands Bring' (1942). The lyrics are by Shakespeare and the text for 'Come Away Death' is taken from 'Twelfth Night', Act II, scene 4 and for 'It Was a Lover and His Lass' from 'As You Like It', Act 5, scene 3. Baker is accompanied by the one and only Martin Isepp.

Love One Another - Brian