SKU: HL.49045824

Max Kowalski (18821956) was a full-time lawyer who never gave up on his passion for music: singing lessons during his law studies, conducting and counterpoint classes, among others, at Dr. Hochs Konservatorium in addition to his work at his own law office in Frankfurt. While studying, he already published his first works; 15 song cycles were published until 1933. In the years that followed, the Jewish-born Kowalski was restricted in working both as a lawyer and as a composer due to his persecution by the National Socialists. In 1938 he was arrested, deported to the concentration camp of Buchenwald and finally forcedto flee into exile in London. Contemporaries called Kowalski a lyricist among the composers. The choice of texts of his songs shows his great knowledge and love of German literature. For example, he set to music texts by Friedrich Holderlin or Rainer Maria Rilke, but also Indian or Japanese poems. Kowalski left numerous unpublished songs which are published by Schott Music in a two-volume edition: Volume 1 (ED 22586) contains his Jewish songs (1935-37), the Heinrich Heine cycle (1937) and all English-language songs (1941-46). Volume 2 (ED 22587) contains Kowalski's late works: the songs based on texts by Friedrich Holderlin (1950) and the Geisha Lieder according to Klabund (1951).

SKU: PR.141401020

ISBN 9781491130629. UPC: 680160676422. 9 x 12 inches. English. Emily Dickinson, William Yeats, Emily Bronte, Elizabeth Bishop.

First known to the music world as a guitar recitalist, David Leisner turned to composing his own guitar repertoire, and soon expanded his work to create a rich catalog in the grand tradition of art songs for voice with guitar. Much beloved by singers for his poignant lyricism and powerful cultivation of meaningful texts, Leisner has also composed a wealth of art songs for voice with piano. The present collection is a selection of six songs from existing cycles for medium voice, on texts by Emily Dickinson, William Butler Yeats, Emily Bronte, and Elizabeth Bishop.