This is the premiere performance of Geoffrey Gordon's song cycle, Winterleben, a setting of five texts by poet Friedrich Rückert, for mezzo, horn and piano, commissioned for Los Angeles Philharmonic principal horn, Andrew Bain, through the gracious support of Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting.
Friday, August 7, 2015
Zipper Hall, Los Angeles
Andrew Bain, horn
Renee Rapier, mezzo
Nic Gerpe, piano
PROGRAM NOTE:
Friedrich Rückert, (1788-1866) – German poet, philologist, orientalist – was a profound source of inspiration for Gustav Mahler. The composer identified deeply with the directness and refined sensibility of his verses, declaring that ‘after Des Knaben Wunderhorn I could not compose anything but Rückert – this is lyric poetry from the source, all else is lyric poetry of a derivative kind’. Mahler set many of Rückert’s texts—Rückert-Lieder, Kindertotenlieder—but of course there are many Rückert texts which he did not set, including the five poem collection known as Winterleben (Winter Life). What follows is a new work, for mezzo soprano, French horn soloist (sharing equal prominence throughout the work) and piano, based on these beautiful and evocative Rückert poems.
-Geoffrey Gordon
TEXT:
IV. Erwartung
Wenn ich gegen Tages Mitte
Setz' ins Zimmer meine Schritte,
Die auf Schnee und Eis geweilt;
Denk' ich, auf dem Wust des Tisches
Liegen müss' ein Blatt, ein frisches
Das vom Freunde Kund' erteilt,
Wie die rötlich angeglühte
Mandelblüte,
Die voraus dem Frühling eilt.
Oder wann ich lange träumte,
Wie er nun so lange säumte,
Sich zu melden; kommt mir's vor,
Selber müss' er aus den Ecken
Treten, froh mich zu erschrecken,
Ohne Meldebrief zuvor,
Überraschend, wie die Feige
Aus dem Zweige
Ohne Blüte tritt hervor.
