Kurt Weill (1900-1950)

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2009

Dessau And Berlin

20091019

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on the composer's formative years.

Mack the Knife (The Threepenny Opera - Moritat)

Louis Armstrong, Lotte Lenya

Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars

Sony Classical MHK 60647 Tr 22

String Quartet (1918) 1st mvt

Leipzig String Quartet

DG Gold MDG30710712 Tr 1

Symphony No 1

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Marin Alsop (conductor)

Naxos 8557199 Tr 4

Frauentanz

Rosemary Hardy (soprano)

Ensemble Modern

HK Gruber (conductor)

Largo 5114 Tr 5

Donald Macleod explores Kurt Weill's formative years. Including Mack the Knife.

2009

Berlin

20091020

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on the composer's move to Berlin, where he immersed himself in the artistic community, meeting and working with some of the most influential names of the day, including Bertholt Brecht.

Tango Angele (The Tsar has his photograph taken)...Musik in diesem Augenblick...Schnell fort!

Tsar - Barry McDaniel (baritone)

The False Angele - Marita Napier (soprano)

The False Assistant - Heinz Kruse (tenor)

The False Boy - Hilke Helling (contralto)

The Leader - Mario Brell (tenor)

Koln Radio Orchestra and Choir

Jan Latham-Konig (conductor)

Capriccio 600 007-1 Tr 8

Concerto for violin and wind orchestra, Op 12 (1st mvt)

Nona Liddell (violin)

The London Sinfonietta

David Atherton (conductor)

DG 423 255-2 Tr 9

Der Neue Orpheus

Carole Farley (soprano)

Michael Guttman (violin)

Rhinische Philharmonie

Jose Serebrier (conductor)

ASV CD DCA 987 Tr 1

Das Berliner Requiem - for tenor, baritone, male choir, wind band, guitar, banjo and percussion

Alexandre Laiter (tenor)

Peter Kooy (bass)

Choeur de la Chapelle Royale

Ensemble Musique Oblique

Philippe Herreweghe (director)

Harmonia mundi HMC 901422 Trs 7-12

Donald Macleod focuses on Weill's move to Berlin, where he collaborated with Brecht.

2009

The Weimar Republic

20091021

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on how the composer responded to the rise of Adolf Hitler.

The Weimar Republic's golden years were good to Weill. But by the early 1930s the landscape had changed dramatically. Unemployment was causing real hardship and he recognised there was a demand for a different kind of musical theatre.

Overture: Der Silbersee

London Sinfonietta

Markus Stenz (conductor)

RCA Red Seal 09026634472 CD1 Tr 1

Der Silbersee (excerpt from Act 3)

Frau von Luber - Helga Dernesch (soprano)

Baron Laur - Heinz Zednik (tenor)

Red Seal 09026634472 CD2 Tr 11

Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (excerpt)

Jenny - Lotte Lenya

Mrs Begbick - Gisela Litz

Jimmy Mahoney - Heinz Sauerbaum

Bill - Georg Mund

Jake Schmidt - Fritz Gollnitz

Joe - Sigmund Roth

Speaker - Richard Munch

Orchestra of North German Radio

Max Thurn (conductor)

CBS Masterworks M2K 77341 Trs 5, 6, 7 and 8

Seven Deadly Sins (ballet)

Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo-soprano)

Karl-Heinz Brandt, Hans Sojer (tenor)

Hidenori Komatsu (baritone)

Ivan Urbas (bass)

Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR

Cord Garben (conductor)

Harmonia mundi HMC 901420 Tr 1-9

Donald Macleod explores how Kurt Weill responded to the rise of Adolf Hitler.

2009

France

20091022

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on how his voluntary exile from Germany affected his music.

Just two days after Hitler took office Kurt Weill packed a suitcase and moved to Paris. He had turned his back on Germany by choice and he would never return. His musical development would now be determined by a completely different set of rules.

Complainte de la Seine

Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo-soprano)

Cord Garben (piano)

Harmonia Mundi HMC 901420 Tr 10

Die Burgschaft (excerpt from Act 1)

Anna Mattes - Margaret Thompson

Luise Mattes - Ann Panagulias

Johann Mattes - Frederick Burchinal

Alto solo - Katherine Ciesinski

David Orth - Dale Travis

The Westminster Choir

Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra

Julius Rudel (conductor)

Emi CDS5569762

Tracks 8, 9 and 10

The Threepenny Opera (excerpt from Act 2)

Macheath - Rene Kollo

Jenny - Milva

RIAS Berlin Sinfonietta

John Mauceri (conductor)

Decca 430 075-2 DH Trs 15, 16, 17

Cantata for radio - Der Lindberghflug (excerpt)

Voices: Herbert Feckler, Lorenz Minth, Christophe Scheeben

Pro Musica Koln

Koln Radio Symphony Orchestra

Jan Latham-Konig (conductor)

Capriccio 60 012-1 Trs 8 and 9

Vom Tod im Walde, Op 23

Cantata for bass and 10 wind instruments

Peter Kooy (bass)

Ensemble Musique Oblique

Philippe Herreweghe (director)

HMC 901422 Tr 1

September Song

Ute Lemper

Jurgen Knieper (piano)

Milan CD CH341 Tr 17

Donald Macleod explores how Weill's voluntary exile from Germany affected his music.

2009

05 LAST

America

20091023

Donald Macleod concludes his exploration of the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on how he established himself as a successful Broadway composer.

Although Weill was a respected composer of musical theatre in Europe, his reputation wasn't widely known in the United States. It didn't deter him from moving there and he was able to win audiences over and enjoy success on Broadway.

One Life to Live (Lady in the Dark)

Ute Lemper

RIAS Sinfonietta Berlin

John Mauceri (conductor)

Decca 436 4172 Tr 12

Symphony No 2 (1934) - 1st, 2nd mvts

Berlin Philharmonic

Mariss Jansons (conductor)

EMI CDC 5565732 Trs 1-2

I'm a stranger here myself (One touch of Venus)

Rias Chamber Ensemble

Decca 425 204-2 Tr 13

Street Scene (excerpt from Act 1)

Rose Maurrant - Janis Kelly

Harry Easter - Simon Masterton-Smith

Dick McGann - Philip Day

Mae Jones - Catherine Zeta Jones

Orchestra of English National Opera

Carl Davis (conductor)

That's Entertainment CDTER 21185 CD1 Trs 22, 23, 24, 28

Speak Low

Kurt Weill (vocal and piano)

Naxos 8120831 Tr 13

Oh Captain! My Captain!; Four Walt Whitman Songs

Wolfgang Holzmair (baritone)

Robert Schumann Chamber Orchestra

Wind instruments of Dusseldorf Symphony

Marc-Andreas Schlingensiepen (conductor)

Koch CD 314050 H1 Trs 10-12

Thousands of Miles and Train to Johannesburg (Lost in the Stars)

Stephen Kumalo - Arthur Woodley

Concert Chorale of New York

Orchestra of St Luke's

Julius Rudel (conductor)

Music Masters 01612-67100-2 Trs 2, 3

Suburaya Johnny (Happy End)

Lotte Lenya

Roger Bean (conductor)

CBS MK 42658 Tr 20

Donald Macleod explores how Weill established himself as a successful Broadway composer.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2009	01	Dessau And Berlin	20091019	Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on the composer's formative years. Mack the Knife (The Threepenny Opera - Moritat) Louis Armstrong, Lotte Lenya Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars Sony Classical MHK 60647 Tr 22 String Quartet (1918) 1st mvt Leipzig String Quartet DG Gold MDG30710712 Tr 1 Symphony No 1 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Marin Alsop (conductor) Naxos 8557199 Tr 4 Frauentanz Rosemary Hardy (soprano) Ensemble Modern HK Gruber (conductor) Largo 5114 Tr 5 Donald Macleod explores Kurt Weill's formative years. Including Mack the Knife.
2009	02	Berlin	20091020	Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on the composer's move to Berlin, where he immersed himself in the artistic community, meeting and working with some of the most influential names of the day, including Bertholt Brecht. Tango Angele (The Tsar has his photograph taken)...Musik in diesem Augenblick...Schnell fort! Tsar - Barry McDaniel (baritone) The False Angele - Marita Napier (soprano) The False Assistant - Heinz Kruse (tenor) The False Boy - Hilke Helling (contralto) The Leader - Mario Brell (tenor) Koln Radio Orchestra and Choir Jan Latham-Konig (conductor) Capriccio 600 007-1 Tr 8 Concerto for violin and wind orchestra, Op 12 (1st mvt) Nona Liddell (violin) The London Sinfonietta David Atherton (conductor) DG 423 255-2 Tr 9 Der Neue Orpheus Carole Farley (soprano) Michael Guttman (violin) Rhinische Philharmonie Jose Serebrier (conductor) ASV CD DCA 987 Tr 1 Das Berliner Requiem - for tenor, baritone, male choir, wind band, guitar, banjo and percussion Alexandre Laiter (tenor) Peter Kooy (bass) Choeur de la Chapelle Royale Ensemble Musique Oblique Philippe Herreweghe (director) Harmonia mundi HMC 901422 Trs 7-12 Donald Macleod focuses on Weill's move to Berlin, where he collaborated with Brecht.
2009	03	The Weimar Republic	20091021	Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on how the composer responded to the rise of Adolf Hitler. The Weimar Republic's golden years were good to Weill. But by the early 1930s the landscape had changed dramatically. Unemployment was causing real hardship and he recognised there was a demand for a different kind of musical theatre. Overture: Der Silbersee London Sinfonietta Markus Stenz (conductor) RCA Red Seal 09026634472 CD1 Tr 1 Der Silbersee (excerpt from Act 3) Frau von Luber - Helga Dernesch (soprano) Baron Laur - Heinz Zednik (tenor) Red Seal 09026634472 CD2 Tr 11 Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (excerpt) Jenny - Lotte Lenya Mrs Begbick - Gisela Litz Jimmy Mahoney - Heinz Sauerbaum Bill - Georg Mund Jake Schmidt - Fritz Gollnitz Joe - Sigmund Roth Speaker - Richard Munch Orchestra of North German Radio Max Thurn (conductor) CBS Masterworks M2K 77341 Trs 5, 6, 7 and 8 Seven Deadly Sins (ballet) Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo-soprano) Karl-Heinz Brandt, Hans Sojer (tenor) Hidenori Komatsu (baritone) Ivan Urbas (bass) Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR Cord Garben (conductor) Harmonia mundi HMC 901420 Tr 1-9 Donald Macleod explores how Kurt Weill responded to the rise of Adolf Hitler.
2009	04	France	20091022	Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on how his voluntary exile from Germany affected his music. Just two days after Hitler took office Kurt Weill packed a suitcase and moved to Paris. He had turned his back on Germany by choice and he would never return. His musical development would now be determined by a completely different set of rules. Complainte de la Seine Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo-soprano) Cord Garben (piano) Harmonia Mundi HMC 901420 Tr 10 Die Burgschaft (excerpt from Act 1) Anna Mattes - Margaret Thompson Luise Mattes - Ann Panagulias Johann Mattes - Frederick Burchinal Alto solo - Katherine Ciesinski David Orth - Dale Travis The Westminster Choir Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra Julius Rudel (conductor) Emi CDS5569762 Tracks 8, 9 and 10 The Threepenny Opera (excerpt from Act 2) Macheath - Rene Kollo Jenny - Milva RIAS Berlin Sinfonietta John Mauceri (conductor) Decca 430 075-2 DH Trs 15, 16, 17 Cantata for radio - Der Lindberghflug (excerpt) Voices: Herbert Feckler, Lorenz Minth, Christophe Scheeben Pro Musica Koln Koln Radio Symphony Orchestra Jan Latham-Konig (conductor) Capriccio 60 012-1 Trs 8 and 9 Vom Tod im Walde, Op 23 Cantata for bass and 10 wind instruments Peter Kooy (bass) Ensemble Musique Oblique Philippe Herreweghe (director) HMC 901422 Tr 1 September Song Ute Lemper Jurgen Knieper (piano) Milan CD CH341 Tr 17 Donald Macleod explores how Weill's voluntary exile from Germany affected his music.
2009	05 LAST	America	20091023	Donald Macleod concludes his exploration of the life and work of Kurt Weill, focusing on how he established himself as a successful Broadway composer. Although Weill was a respected composer of musical theatre in Europe, his reputation wasn't widely known in the United States. It didn't deter him from moving there and he was able to win audiences over and enjoy success on Broadway. One Life to Live (Lady in the Dark) Ute Lemper RIAS Sinfonietta Berlin John Mauceri (conductor) Decca 436 4172 Tr 12 Symphony No 2 (1934) - 1st, 2nd mvts Berlin Philharmonic Mariss Jansons (conductor) EMI CDC 5565732 Trs 1-2 I'm a stranger here myself (One touch of Venus) Rias Chamber Ensemble Decca 425 204-2 Tr 13 Street Scene (excerpt from Act 1) Rose Maurrant - Janis Kelly Harry Easter - Simon Masterton-Smith Dick McGann - Philip Day Mae Jones - Catherine Zeta Jones Orchestra of English National Opera Carl Davis (conductor) That's Entertainment CDTER 21185 CD1 Trs 22, 23, 24, 28 Speak Low Kurt Weill (vocal and piano) Naxos 8120831 Tr 13 Oh Captain! My Captain!; Four Walt Whitman Songs Wolfgang Holzmair (baritone) Robert Schumann Chamber Orchestra Wind instruments of Dusseldorf Symphony Marc-Andreas Schlingensiepen (conductor) Koch CD 314050 H1 Trs 10-12 Thousands of Miles and Train to Johannesburg (Lost in the Stars) Stephen Kumalo - Arthur Woodley Concert Chorale of New York Orchestra of St Luke's Julius Rudel (conductor) Music Masters 01612-67100-2 Trs 2, 3 Suburaya Johnny (Happy End) Lotte Lenya Roger Bean (conductor) CBS MK 42658 Tr 20 Donald Macleod explores how Weill established himself as a successful Broadway composer.