Joachim RAFF (1822-1882)
Lieder
Marina Unruh (soprano)
Frederike Schulten (mezzo)
Lisa Wedekind (mezzo)
Wolfgang Klose (tenor)
Johannes Wedeking (bass)
Hedayet Jonas Djeddikar (piano)
rec. 25-28 May 2020, Kulturzzentrum Immanuelskirche, Wuppertal, Germany
STERLING CDA1853 [2 CDs: 90:15]
One aspect of Joachim Raff’s output which has been unjustly neglected is his song writing, especially when you consider that he composed for the voice throughout his life; indeed, his earliest compositions were either for piano or were Lieder, but these days that is all but forgotten and I know of only two other recordings totally dedicated to his songs: a splendid recording of his Sanges-Frühling and Maria Stuarda songs on Divox (CDX-20806/07-6) and another on Hungaroton (HCD 32256) which provides songs from the same collections. There are other recital discs which offer one or two of his Lieder, but they are largely forgotten, and Raff is not even mentioned in either The Faber Book of Lieder or The Fischer-Dieskau Book of Lieder. This impressive mid-priced two-disc set is a welcome addition to the catalogues, then, especially as it offers the listener twenty-nine songs which have never been recorded before.
The Sterling label have been doing the music of Joachim Raff proud in recent years; this being their seventh disc devoted to his music – and usually the more neglected works, too, such as his lyric opera Benedetto Marcello (CDO 1123/1124-2), as well as discs of his choral works, which serve only to help the listener appreciate more the composer and his music.
The set opens with Ständchen, to a text by C. O. Sternau, whose real name was Otto Julius Inkermann, which might be a pointer as to why these songs have not fared better on disc. The poets whose texts are set are unfashionable, the only well-known one being Emanuel Geibel, who at one time had more settings of his poetry to his name than even Goethe. Despite this, there are some fine texts here and each receives a setting by Raff which is never less than good. Ständchen is a case in point; originally included in an album of songs by different composers in 1861, it was re-published in 1886, some four years after the composer’s death as a single composition, the proceeds from this edition going a long way to pay for the erection of a permanent monument to Raff in the Frankfurt cemetery.
Many of the songs included here are superb. Three other Sternau songs are well worth mentioning, but the two Emanuel Geibel songs are the standout tracks on CD 1; Abendfeier in Venedig and Gondoliera really give Raff the chance to show his credentials as a songsmith, as he produces complex but perfectly formed writing for the pianist to tackle, which Hedayet Jonas Djeddikar does well.
CD 2 opens well with some delicate piano writing before the soprano Marina Unruh, comes in to sing a dreamlike text to Hermann Erler’s poem Traumlied. She is then joined by both mezzos, Frederike Schulten and Lisa Wedekind in the three delightfully entertaining trios by Emanuel Geibel, the third of which, the lovely Leichter Sinn can easily be found as a YouTube clip advertising the set. These are followed by six Blumensprache (Flower Language), delightful settings of Gustav Kastropp. Kastropp had hoped that Raff would set his larger dramatic poems, but Raff seemingly found the idea daunting, producing these six Romantic little songs instead. The last songs of this set come from the cycle Blondel de Nesle by Helge Heldt, who was in fact Raff’s fifteen-year-old daughter Helen. The texts tell the story of Richard the Lionheart from the viewpoint of his friend, the troubadour Blondel de Nesle. Don’t be put off by the tender age of his daughter, as some of her texts are excellent; Raff revels in them, writing and produces some of his most persuasive songs. Number seven, Abschied vom heiligen Land has a delicate rippling effect which foreshadows French songs of the early twentieth century. Bass Johannes Wedeking gives a wonderfully diverse reading as he explores the differing emotions found in this song, which forms a fitting conclusion to the set.
If there is a problem with this recording it is in the word “from”; all four cycles are only partly recorded here, leaving me wishing for more. That is a shame, as there is plenty of room on each disc for more songs. Overall, the singing is good, there is some excessive vibrato in the singing, not enough to put me off recommending this recording, although some might find it too much. The blending of the three voices in the trios is particularly good and nicely balanced. There is some complicated sounding piano writing here, but Hedayet Jonas Djeddikar takes it in his stride, proving himself to be an excellent accompanist. The recorded sound is first-rate and the two booklets which accompany the set, one giving the background to, and detailed information, on the songs, and the other providing the texts in the original German and an English translation, are all that you could hope for. All in all, this is a highly enjoyable recording which is a must for all fans of Joachim Raff’s music and leaves you wanting more.
Stuart Sillitoe
Contents
Disc 1 [48:00]
Ständchen, WoO. 21 [2:29]
Drei Lieder von J.G. Fischer, Op. 47
I. Du Weißt es wohl, daß du mein Alles bist [3:53]
II. Glückselig! [3:29]
III. Das Ideal [2:19]
Zwei Lieder von Gotthold Logau, Op. 48
I. Abschied [2:41]
II. Heimkehr [2:57]
Drei Lieder von J. G. Fischer, Op. 49
I. Stille Liebe [2:00]
II. Der Liebe Verlangen [3:15]
III. Sternenfrieden [5:21]
from Fünf Lieder von Emanuel Geibel, Op. 51
IV. Abendfeier in Venedig [6:12]
V. Gondoliera [5:04]
from Drei Lieder von C. O. Sternau, Op. 52
I. Nun ist es Herbst geworden [2:28]
Zwei Lieder vom Rhein von C. O. Sternau, Op. 53
I. Des alten Domes Glocken [2:18]
II. Dir zum Angedenken [3:12]
Disc 2 [42:15]
Traumlied, WoO. 56C [3:34]
from Sechs Gesänge von Emanuel Geibel, Op. 184
I. Nun ist der Tag geschieden [4:07]
IV. Wo still ein Herz von Liebe glüht [4:23]
V. Leichter Sinn [3:38]
Blumensprache, Op. 191
I. Widmung [2:58]
II. Veilchen [2:19]
III. Himmelsschlüssel [1:41]
IV. Vergissmeinnicht [2:52]
V. Myrthe [1:31]
VI. Rosmarin [2:27]
from Blondel de Nesle, Op. 211
II. Der Braut seines Herrn [2:55]
IV. Vermählungsgesang [1:59]
VII. Abschied vom heiligen Land [3:13]
IX. Da der König gefangen war [2:05]
X. Da der König befreit war [2:14]
Artists:
Marina Unruh (soprano) (CD1: 10-11, CD2: 1-4)
Frederike Schulten (mezzo) (CD1: 2-4, CD2: 2-4)
Lisa Wedekind (mezzo) (CD1: 7-9, CD2: 2-4)
Wolfgang Klose (tenor) (CD1: 1, CD2:5-10)
Johannes Wedeking (bass) (CD1: 5-6, CD2 11:15)
Hedayet Jonas Djeddikar (piano)
