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The Flight of the Eagle – October 31, 2004 | Walter Hall, Toronto
The songs of Johannes Brahms (1833-97)

date: October 31, 2004

This programme was originally performed in Walter Hall on Sunday afternoon, March 5, 1995.  We gave a survey of Brahms’s songs, in roughly chronological order, from the early 1850s to 1896 (finishing with the Vier ernste Gesänge); framing the solo songs were several of the composer’s partsongs with piano (a rather neglected part of his output, except for the Liebeslieder-Walzer) and a very early piano-duet.  This concert might profitably be considered in conjunction with Robert and Clara at Home, first performed on February 2, 1986, which presented the songs of Robert Schumann in conjunction with those of Brahms, their protégé.  Narration here was given in the words of Brahms himself, often from his own letters but also including biographical material brought into the first person for the purpose of our concert.  The narrator was the distinguished actor, Barry MacGregor.

Song Artist Composer Poet
Wechsellied zum Tanz, Op.31/1 Whicher, Monica, soprano; Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Wiliford, Lawrence, tenor; Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
Souvenir de la Russie Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes n/a
Liebestreu, Op.3/1 Whicher, Monica, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes Reinick, Robert
Ein Sonett, Op.14/4 Wiliford, Lawrence, tenor; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes Thibaut IV of Champagne and Navarre, trans. Herder, Johann Gottfried
Keinen hat es noch gereut, Op.33/1 (Die schöne Magelone) Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Tieck, Ludwig
Es rauschet das Wasser, Op.28/3 Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
Von ewiger Liebe, Op.43/1 Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Fallersleben, Hoffmann von
Die Mainacht, Op.43/2 Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes Hölty, Ludwig
Von waldbekränzter Höhe, Op.57/1 Whicher, Monica, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Daumer, Georg Friedrich
Es träumte mir, Op.57/3 Wiliford, Lawrence, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Daumer, Georg Friedrich
Die Schwestern, Op.61/1 Whicher, Monica, soprano; Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Mörike, Eduard
Alte Liebe, Op.72/1 Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Candidus, Karl August
O schöne Nacht, Op.92/1 Whicher, Monica, soprano; Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Wiliford, Lawrence, tenor; Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Daumer, Georg Friedrich
INTERMISSION
Warum? Op.92/4 Whicher, Monica, soprano; Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Wiliford, Lawrence, tenor; Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
Mädchenlied, Op.85/3 Whicher, Monica, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes anon. Serbian, trans. Kapper, Siegfried
Frühlingslied, Op.85/5 Whicher, Monica, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Geibel, Emanuel
Meerfahrt, Op.96/4 Wiliford, Lawrence, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Heine, Heinrich
Wie Melodien zieht es mir, Op.105/1 Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes Groth, Klaus
Auf dem Kirchhofe, Op.105/4 Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes Liliencron, Detlev von
Ständchen, Op.106/1 Wiliford, Lawrence, tenor; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes Kugler, Franz Theodor
Da unten im Tale (Deutsche Volkslieder) Whicher, Monica, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes anon.
O Tod wie bitter bist du, Op.121/3 (Vier ernste Gesänge) Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Ecclesiasticus 41
Wenn ich mit Menschen- und mit Engelszungen redete, Op.121/4 (Vier ernste Gesänge) Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano Brahms, Johannes Corinthians I 13
Zum Schluss, Op.65/15 (Neue Liebeslieder) Whicher, Monica, soprano; Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Wiliford, Lawrence, tenor; Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
Ein kleiner, hübscher Vogel, Op.52/6 (Liebeslieder-Walzer) –   ENCORE Whicher, Monica, soprano; Turnbull, Elizabeth, mezzo; Wiliford, Lawrence, tenor; Duncan, Tyler, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Brahms, Johannes Daumer, Georg Friedrich