Webern: Drei Lieder, Op. 25

Soprano Christiane Oelze and pianist Eric Schneider in a highly praised survey of Webern’s Lieder, released initially in 1995. Forty songs on a generous CD of 76 minutes.

Anton Webern’s first composition was the song ‘Vorfrühling’, composed on his 16th birthday in 1899. Not surprisingly, it was very much in the style of Schubert and Schumann Lieder, with nods towards Wolf and Strauss. However, a certain restraint and economy that manages to deliver powerful emotional content is present – something that would become a hallmark of his later style. Study with Schoenberg and the adoption of his 12- tone technique allowed Webern to use his spare textures and skill at setting words to greater effect. Here one can chart Webern’s progress from the earliest Schubertian effort, to the songs that just about cling to tonality (the mysterious night- inspired fantasies of the Dehmel cycle) with their subdued and intense atmosphere that evoke the Wagner of Tristan, to the transparent textures of the later works with their allusions to ländler and Bach.

New notes and sung texts

Recorded in 1957