As a young Viennese composer who eagerly absorbed the musical ideas of his predecessors
Franz Schubert,
Johannes Brahms,
Gustav Mahler, and
Richard Strauss,
Erich Wolfgang Korngold naturally took an avid interest in writing songs, many of which reflected his models. This album by soprano
Britta Stallmeister, baritone
Uwe Schenker-Primus, and pianist
Klaus Simon introduces a series by Naxos devoted to
Korngold's songs and starts with youthful efforts in the genre. While these lyrical gems rarely pass three minutes in length and seem rather modest in their emotional range, each offering a single mood that is treated simply and directly, these songs have fascinating harmonic progressions and melodic details that are worthy of a mature master.
Korngold's genius for surprising modulations and unexpected chords evoke
Schubert's advanced harmonies, and his subtle use of chromatic shadings in major keys is quite suggestive of
Mahler. The performances are warm and engaging, with
Stallmeister featured in the first 17 tracks, while
Schenker-Primus delivers the remaining 19; effectively, two recording sessions are presented, since each artist was recorded months apart. All the songs are sung in German, except for the Songs of the Clown and Vier Lieder, on texts by William Shakespeare, which are sung in English. Naxos' recording gives the singers prominent placement, though their voices are not too close-up, and the accompaniment is clear without dominating.