Janet Baker: Schoenberg, Tippett and Wellesz

The six songs come from a recital Janet Baker gave devoted entirely to the songs of Arnold Schoenberg, accompanied by Paul Hamburger.  The recital begins with four songs from his sets Op 2, 3, composed around the turn of the century when Schoenberg was also working on his massive cantata Gurrelieder.  The subject matter is deeply romantic, depicting various aspects of feelings of love and the music is richly tonal.  The selection ends with two songs from his Op 6 set, published in 1903, when Schoenberg was moving towards atonality.

Janet Baker next sings The Song of the Wood Dove, from Schoenberg’s massive cantata Gürrelieder, written between 1900 and 1910. This version was arranged by Schoenberg for chamber ensemble, here played by the Wigmore Ensemble and the Amici Quartet and conducted by Jacques-Louis Monot.

Tippett’s opera Midsummer Marriage was revived in 1963, with Norman del Mar conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra.  Janet Baker took the part of Sosostris and this extract gives her long aria in Act 3.

Egon Wellesz studied in Vienna under Arnold Schoenberg.  He wrote his song cycle for voice and chamber ensemble in 1944.  Janet Baker is accompanied by the Melos Ensemble.

Arnold Schoenberg (1974  1951)

Track 1:

1. Hochzeitslied
2. Freihold
3. Erwartung
4. Waldsonne
5. Traumleben
6. Der Wanderer

Track 2:

The Song of the Wood Dove, from Gürrelieder (arr. Schoenberg)

Track 3:

Michael Tippett (1905 – 1998)

Sosostris’s aria from Act 3 of The Midsummer Marriage

Track 4:

Egon Wellesz (1885 – 1974)

The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo

The Schoenberg songs were recorded on 20 October 1967.

The Song of the Wood Bird was recorded on 22 January 1968.

The Wellesz cycle was recorded on 14 December 1966.

These recordings are from the Saul Collection at Music Preserved.

The Tippett was recorded at Maida Vale Studios and broadcast on January 13 1963.

The recording is from the Harewood Collection at Music Preserved.