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Zemlinsky: A Florentine Tragedy / Hahn, Munich Radio Orchestra
BR Klassik

Zemlinsky: A Florentine Tragedy / Hahn, Munich Radio Orchestra

Romantic Romantic Dark Dramatic Melancholic
$19.99

Details

Composer
Alexander Zemlinsky
Artist
Munchner Rundfunkorchester, Christopher Maltman, Rachael Wilson, Benjamin Bruns
Format
CD
Label
BR Klassik
Released
Apr 19, 2024
Catalog #
BRK900347
UPC
4035719003475

About

Guido Bardi, the son of the Duke of Florence, kneels before Bianca, the wife of the rich merchant Simone, and holds her hands. Simone, who has returned early from a business trip, then enters the room. The very beginning of Alexander Zemlinsky's one-act opera "A Florentine Tragedy", based on Oscar Wilde's play of the same name in the German translation by Max Meyerfeld, presents the conflict from which the tragedy arises. This stage work by the Austrian composer, who was forgotten for many decades, had its world premiere on January 30, 1917, in Stuttgart and was not performed again until 1977. This CD from BR-KLASSIK documents the Munich premiere on November 27, 2022, with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester conducted by Patrick Hahn, recorded live at the city’s Prinzregententheater.

With the "Florentine Tragedy", albeit rather belatedly, Zemlinsky followed the fashion for Renaissance and one-act works at the turn of the century. Richard Strauss had made his mark in that genre with "Salome" and "Elektra" – and the literary basis for the former had also been provided by Oscar Wilde. In the very first notes, seemingly aware of this similarity with Strauss’s work, Zemlinsky goes on the offensive with an "upbeat fanfare" – as the prelude to an orchestral introduction that can easily be interpreted as a musical representation of the main romantic relationship. At the transition to the actual stage action, however, Zemlinsky switches to a somber minor-key atmosphere. When Simone appears, the music already makes it clear that the plot cannot end otherwise than tragically. For whom, we do not yet know…

In the Munich premiere of Zemlinsky's "A Florentine Tragedy", Rachael Wilson (mezzo-soprano) sang the part of Bianca, Benjamin Bruns (tenor) was Prince Guido Bardi, and Christopher Maltman (baritone) portrayed the merchant Simone. The Münchner Rundfunkorchester performed under the young conductor Patrick Hahn. Last year, the 27-year-old Austrian – who since 2021 in Wuppertal has been the youngest Generalmusikdirektor in the German-speaking world – was engaged as the Münchner Rundfunkorchester’s Principal Guest Conductor.

Tracklist 19 tracks

  1. 1 Overture 04:28
    Track
    1
    Title
    Overture
    Duration
    04:28
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  2. 2 So langsam, Weib? (Simone, Bianca) 02:17
    Track
    2
    Title
    So langsam, Weib? (Simone, Bianca)
    Duration
    02:17
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Rachael Wilson
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  3. 3 Ich heisse Guido Bardi (Guido, Simone) 02:32
    Track
    3
    Title
    Ich heisse Guido Bardi (Guido, Simone)
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Benjamin Bruns, Christopher Maltman
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  4. 4 Wo ist mein Bündel? (Simone) 01:56
    Track
    4
    Title
    Wo ist mein Bündel? (Simone)
    Duration
    01:56
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  5. 5 Wackrer Simone, genug, ich bitte Euch (Guido, Simone) 02:50
    Track
    5
    Title
    Wackrer Simone, genug, ich bitte Euch (Guido, Simone)
    Duration
    02:50
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Benjamin Bruns, Christopher Maltman
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  6. 6 Bianca, sag, stünde nicht dies kostbar edle Kleid dem Prinzen Guido gut? (Simone, Bianca, Guido) 03:01
    Track
    6
    Title
    Bianca, sag, stünde nicht dies kostbar edle Kleid dem Prinzen Guido gut? (Simone, Bianca, Guido)
    Duration
    03:01
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Rachael Wilson, Benjamin Bruns
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  7. 7 Wie, wenn ich die weisse Bianca forderte? (Guido, Simone, Bianca) 00:58
    Track
    7
    Title
    Wie, wenn ich die weisse Bianca forderte? (Guido, Simone, Bianca)
    Duration
    00:58
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Benjamin Bruns, Christopher Maltman, Rachael Wilson
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  8. 8 Spinn ein Kleid, getaucht in Purpur (Simone, Bianca) 02:03
    Track
    8
    Title
    Spinn ein Kleid, getaucht in Purpur (Simone, Bianca)
    Duration
    02:03
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Rachael Wilson
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  9. 9 Was gibt es Neues, mein Prinz? (Simone, Guido, Bianca) 05:05
    Track
    9
    Title
    Was gibt es Neues, mein Prinz? (Simone, Guido, Bianca)
    Duration
    05:05
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Benjamin Bruns, Rachael Wilson
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  10. 10 Wie er gleich einem schalen Krämer spricht! (Bianca, Guido, Simone) 03:26
    Track
    10
    Title
    Wie er gleich einem schalen Krämer spricht! (Bianca, Guido, Simone)
    Duration
    03:26
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Rachael Wilson, Benjamin Bruns, Christopher Maltman
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  11. 11 Genug! (Simone, Guido) 03:07
    Track
    11
    Title
    Genug! (Simone, Guido)
    Duration
    03:07
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Benjamin Bruns
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  12. 12 In einem Kerker schmachtet meine Seele (Simone, Guido) 02:07
    Track
    12
    Title
    In einem Kerker schmachtet meine Seele (Simone, Guido)
    Duration
    02:07
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Benjamin Bruns
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  13. 13 Was meint der Fleck hier auf dem Tuch? (Simone, Guido) 02:15
    Track
    13
    Title
    Was meint der Fleck hier auf dem Tuch? (Simone, Guido)
    Duration
    02:15
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Benjamin Bruns
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  14. 14 Holdsel'ge Bianca, der schale Krämer langweilt mich (Guido, Bianca) 06:00
    Track
    14
    Title
    Holdsel'ge Bianca, der schale Krämer langweilt mich (Guido, Bianca)
    Duration
    06:00
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Benjamin Bruns, Rachael Wilson
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  15. 15 Simone, jetzt muss ich nach Hause gehen! (Guido, Simone) 01:52
    Track
    15
    Title
    Simone, jetzt muss ich nach Hause gehen! (Guido, Simone)
    Duration
    01:52
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Benjamin Bruns, Christopher Maltman
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  16. 16 Ei, welch ein Schwert! (Simone, Guido) 02:20
    Track
    16
    Title
    Ei, welch ein Schwert! (Simone, Guido)
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Benjamin Bruns
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  17. 17 Bianca, hol mein Schwert! (Simone, Bianca, Guido) 03:16
    Track
    17
    Title
    Bianca, hol mein Schwert! (Simone, Bianca, Guido)
    Duration
    03:16
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Rachael Wilson, Benjamin Bruns
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  18. 18 Und jetzt zu dir! (Simone, Bianca) 02:32
    Track
    18
    Title
    Und jetzt zu dir! (Simone, Bianca)
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Performer
    Christopher Maltman, Rachael Wilson
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn
  19. 19 Eine florentinische Tragödie, Op. 16: Overture (concert version) 05:09
    Track
    19
    Title
    Eine florentinische Tragödie, Op. 16: Overture (concert version)
    Duration
    05:09
    Composer
    Alexander Zemlinsky
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Patrick Hahn