During the 15 years between the end of the First World War and the Nazi seizure of power in Germany, Kurt Weill composed numerous works for the stage and concert hall which not only reflected the social problems and democratic aspirations of that time but are now recognised as belonging to the enduring musical literature of the first half of this century. ANJA SILJA (soprano)
GUNTHER REICH (baritone) HANS MAILE (violin)
BERLIN RADIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA conducted by GARY BERTINI
Cantata: Der neue Orpheus, for soprano, violin and orchestra (first broadcast in this country)
Symphony No 2
4.5* David Drew , who was Special Adviser to the Berlin Festivals of 1974 and 1975. talks about the background to four concerts that the Festival mounted in 1975 to commemorate the work of Kurt Weill , and considers current attitudes towards the composer.
4.20* Concert Part 2
Der Silbersee: concert version by David Drew of the music for Georg Kaiser 's play (first broadcast in this country) with BRENDA JACKSON (soprano) MARIANNE PRAPAVAT (Soprano)
HELGA WISNIEWSKA (mezzo-sop) FRAUKE wobit (mezzo-soprano) JOCHEN GIESE , ALBERT KUPPER
(tenors). FRIEDER NEUBERT (bar) HELMUT LANG (baSS)
(SFB, Berlin, recording from the 1975 Berlin Festival)