Who's Afraid of Hugo Wolf?
Iain Burnside traces the life and work of lieder writer Hugo Wolf. While his songs are considered humourless, dense and difficult, close listening may reveal a different verdict.
Hugo Wolf's reputation is for humourless, dense, difficult songs.Yet, when you listen to them, a different story emerges. They can be biting or tender, funny or sad, erotic or esoteric - but always as immediately appealing as those by Schubert or Schumann. How did Wolf gain such a mistaken reputation?
With performances of Wolf songs from Fischer-Dieskau, Elly Ameling, Ian Bostridge and Barbra Streisand amongst others, pianist and lieder-lover Iain Burnside traces Wolf's life and aims as a composer. In his quest to set the Wolf record straight, he is joined by fellow Wolf enthusiasts: Dr Susan Youens and Dr Amanda Glauert, the pianist Graham Johnson, and Jeremy Sams, whose father was the eminent Wolf scholar, Eric Sams.
Iain discovers how Wolf's sense of humour based on caricature and derision made him as many friends as enemies; how Wagner was both an ardent inspiration and a curse on Wolf's career; how Bizet's opera Carmen brought a new clarity of vision to Wolf's late song collections; and how the richnesses & sophistication of Wolf recordings past may be inhibiting our appreciation of Wolf today.
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Music Played
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Hugo Wolf
Auch kleine Dinge (Italienisches Liederbuch)
Performers: Felicity Lott (soprano), Graham Johnson (piano)
- HYPERION CDA66760.
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Hugo Wolf
Der Gartner (Morike Lieder)
Performers: Werner Gura (tenor), Jan Schultsz (piano)
- Harmonia Mundi HMC 901882.
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Hugo Wolf
Erstes Liebeslied eines Madchens (Morike Lieder)
Performers: Arleen Auger (soprano), Irwin Gage (piano)
- HYPERION CDA66590.
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Hugo Wolf
An den Schlaf (Morike Lieder)
Performers: Ian Bostridge (tenor), Antonio Pappano (tenor)
- EMI 342256-2.
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Hugo Wolf
Prometheus (Goethe lieder)
Performers: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone), Gerald Moore (piano)
- EMI 562188-2.
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Hugo Wolf
Zur Warnung (Morike Lieder)
Performers: Stephan Genz (baritone), Roger Vignoles (piano)
- HYPERION CDA 67311/2.
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Hugo Wolf
Abschied (Morike Lieder)
Performers: Stephan Genz (baritone), Roger Vignoles (piano)
- HYPERION CDA 67311/2.
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Hugo Wolf
In der Fruhe (Morike Lieder)
Performers: Werner Gura (tenor), Jan Schultsz (piano)
- Harmonia Mundi HMC 901882.
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Hugo Wolf
Sagt, seid Ihr es, feiner Herr (Spanisches Liederbuch)
Performers: Anne Sophie von Otter (mezzo-soprano), Geoffrey Parsons (piano)
- EMI CDS 555325-2.
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Hugo Wolf
Herr, was tragt der Boden hier (Spanisches Liederbuch)
Performers: Olaf Bar (baritone), Geoffrey Parsons (piano)
- EMI CDS 555325-2.
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Hugo Wolf
Geh', Geliebter, geh' jetzt! (Spanisches Liederbuch)
Performers: Elizabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano), Gerald Moore (piano)
- EMI 565749-2.
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Hugo Wolf
Gesegnet sei das Grun (Italienisches Liederbuch)
Performers: Elly Ameling, Dalton Baldwin
- PHILIPS 442 744-2.
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Hugo Wolf
Verschwiegene Liebe (Eichendorff Lieder)
Performers: Barbra Streisand (voice) Claus Ogerman (piano)
- SONY SK33452.
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Hugo Wolf
Alles endet, was entstehet (Michelangelo Lieder)
Performers: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone), Gerald Moore (piano)
- EMI 562188-2.
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Hugo Wolf
Auch kleine Dinge (Italienisches Liederbuch)
Performers: Felicity Lott (soprano), Graham Johnson (piano)
- HYPERION CDA66760..
Broadcasts
- Sat 27 Feb 2010 12:15成人快手 Radio 3
- Sat 16 Jul 2011 12:15成人快手 Radio 3