Although Boris Blacher is largely unknown today, he was an extremely influential figure in West-Berlin cultural life just after World War II. After his persecution under the Nazi regime Blacher emerged as one of the finest composers in post-war Germany. He was appointed a professor at the Berlin Academy of Music, and chairman of the Academy of the Arts, Berlin. His compositions are joined here by works from Hanns Eisler, Paul Dessau, and Kurt Weill.