Robert Franz (1815-1892) 43 sets of songs, most of them consisting of 6 songs. Influenced by the more lyrical of Schumann’s songs. He objected to the stressing of individual words in his songs:

“I compose feelings, not words … In Schumann, the declamation is too much in

the foreground.”

He was happy to be recognized as a pure lyricist, who restricted himself almost entirely to a single genre.

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Best known for his operas. Composed only a few songs during his career.

Opp. 53-58, 61 (1838-1840) Seven settings of French poetry for voice and piano composed in the hope that they would be sung by the greatest singers of Paris, making Wagner’s reputation there. Some of these only exist now in fragments.

Op. 91 Fünf Gedichte für eine Frauenstimme (Wesendonck Lieder) (M. Wesendonck), Soprano and piano. Composed Nov. 1857–May 1858 (1st version), and Dec 1857–Oct 1858 (2nd version), and Oct 1858 (3rd version). Stylistically, these songs look forward to Tristan und Isolde.

1 Der Engel,

2 Stehe still!,

3 Im Treibhaus,

4 Schmerzen,

5 Träume

Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Spent the early part of his career moving about Europe performing piano works, but from 1848-1861 he held the position of Kapellmeister-in-Extraordinary in Weimar. This small German town had a small but important cultural atmosphere; it had its own Opera House and Orchestra, and was the home of Schiller and Goethe. Liszt grew into maturity as a song composer while in Weimar. He composed about 80 songs in German, French and Italian throughout his entire career.

He often asked his singers to ‘color’ their voices where the poem required it. He left instructions for the singers such as: ‘fast gesprochen’ (almost spoken), ‘mit halber Stimme’ (with a half-voice), ‘geheimnisvoll’ (mysterious), ‘phlegmatisch’ (dull or heavy) and ‘hintraumend’(day-dreaming).

M1620 L57 L53 2000

Liszt Lieder, Dietrich Fischer Dieskau

Oh! quand je dors (V. Hugo), N11 (1842, rev. 1849)

Tre sonetti di Petrarca (N14) (1842–6, revised 1864-1882), composed in Italy

1 Pace non trovo (Sonnet no.104),

2 Benedetto sia'l giorno (Sonnet no.47),

3 I' vidi in terra angelici costumi (Sonnet no.123)

Peter Cornelius (1824-1874) Composed about 80 Lieder. His lieder and operas are works of high literary merit and striking musical originality. All three operas, and over half of his songs, are settings of texts by Cornelius himself, which distinguishes him from New German colleagues (other than Wagner). Cornelius tended to group his songs in poetically and musically unified cycles, rather than issue them separately. His songs are general works of great warmth and originality.

Weihnachtslieder (Cornelius), op.8 (1856)

1 Christbaum,

2 Die Hirten,

3 Die Könige,

4 Simeon,

5 Christus der Kinderfreund,

6 Christkind