Rodgers:Williams:Vignoles - Wolf: Italienische Liederbuch

RPS�award winning�soprano�Joan�Rogers�is�joined�for�Wolf's�Italian�Songbook�by�acclaimed�baritone�Roderick�Williams,�with�Roger�Vignoles�at�the�piano.This�new�recording�for�Champs�Hill��Records�was�made�shortly�aEer�their�recital�at�Wigmore�Hall,� broadcast�live�on�BBC�Radio�3,�in�April�2012.�Each� of�the�three�brought�sensitivity�and�experience�to� the�poetry�at�their�command,�the�end�result�being�a� performance�of�much�beauty,�feeling,�and most� welcomely�for�this�repertoire joy.��Opera� BritanniaSelf-critical�of�being�master�of�'only�a�smallscale�genre'�Hugo�Wolf�made�carefully�structured�collections�of�his�songs,�each�a�Pny�drama�in�music.�It�means�that�his�Songbooks�are�much�more�than�a�random�collections�and,�as�with�The�Italian�Songbook,�they�represent�his�aVempt�to�make�something�more�substanPal,�to�tell�a�bigger�story,�to� create�a�kind�of�'compressed�opera'.Wolf,� who� died� in� 1903� following� a� period� of� insanity�brought� on�by�syphilis,�described�The� Italian� Songbook� ?� his� last� major� work� ?� as� the� most� original�and�perfect�of�my�compositions.Wolf� sets� his� Italian� texts,� in� German� translaPon,� with� extraordinary� wit� and� perception� -� in� 'Mein� Liebster�hat� zu�Tische� mich�geladen'�(My�sweetheart� invited� me� to� dinner),� the� piano� accompaniment� re?ects� the� very� poor� meal,� right� down� to� the� accents� represenPng� the� chopping� of� very� stale� bread.� 'Mein� liebster� singt'� (My� sweetheart� is� singing� outside� the� house)� incorporates�the� lover's� serenade� in� the� piano� part� -� a� music� sounds� like� a� Chopin�Mazurka.