Diese Woche habe ich einen Gastbeitrag: Der Komponist Oliver Grühn erzählt uns von seinem Lied „Nächtlicher Regen“, das dem Orchesterliederzyklus „Sommerliebe“ entstammt und auf ein Gedicht von Hermann Hesse verfasst ist. Es wird von Diana Schnürpel und der Norddeutschen Philharmonie Rostock unter der Leitung von Kuan-Ju Lin gespielt.

This week we have a guest blog post. The author is the composer Oliver Grühn, who tells us about his Lied Nächtlicher Regen, with a poem by Hermann Hesse, the sixth of the seven Lieder that form the cycle for soprano and orchestra Sommerliebe.. We will listen to it being performed by Diana Schnürpel and the Norddeutschen Philharmonie Rostock under the direction of Kuan-Ju Lin.

Sometimes, the value of a song lies, above all, in its simplicity. In a simple vocal line and a delicate accompaniment. And, of course, in a composer with class. This is the case of this week's song, Two little flowers by Charles Ives.

Have you ever wonder who Winterreise's wanderer is? Where does he come from? You may be thinking that it doesn't matter at all, and you are correct; they are just musings. But, still, have you ever wonder who this stranger really is? The first two songs, Gute Nacht and Die Wetterfahne, tell us the few concrete things we know about him. In spring, he came to a house in an [...]

After Ein Jüngling liebt ein Mädchen, Dichterliebe's song no. 11, in which the poet tells us, even with humour, what exactly happened with his beloved, Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen [One bright summer morning] arrives, and the tone of the cycle changes again.

The difference between lotus and water lilies is not obvious. The general rule states that the leaves of water lilies may be partially submerged by the weight of the water that soaks them, while the water slips on the leaves of the lotus, and this allows them to stay above the surface of the water. It seems easy, but there are many different types, shapes, sizes, and circumstances that could make us wrong.