Liebesleid (2024)

Audio samples

1. Hallelujah 2. Lasso, Perche Mi Fuggi 9. Im Herbst 17. Je Deviens Fou
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Susanne Westenfelder, music theorist and music journalist, notes in the booklet for the latest addition to the Calmus CD library ‘Liebesleid’:

‘In 2017, the two researchers Kazuma Mori and Makoto Iwanaga published a study. The result: songs that bring tears to our eyes seem to have a cathartic effect on us, calm us down and even make us feel good afterwards. A German newspaper concluded what we all already suspected: Music helps against lovesickness. Tear-laden songs against tear-laden eyelids.’

We have taken on this mission – as usual across styles and eras. We move between baroque (Johann Grabbe: Three Madrigals) and contemporary music (Gordon Kampe: ‘Je deviens fou...’) and also make a stopover in the German Romantic period with works by Johannes Brahms and another with folk songs from the British Isles (John Rutter: ‘Five Traditional Songs’). We have also been able to win over outstanding arrangers to tailor some of the love song dramas to us. These include our very familiar arranger Juan M.V. Garcia with ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘Another Love’ as well as ex-King's-Singer Philip Lawson with the title arrangement of Fritz Kreisler's ‘Liebesleid’. Because in addition to all the heartache, the certainty always remains at the end:

‘And if you are ever sad, don't despair, because it will always be like this: love's sorrow is followed by love's joy.’

Calmus:

Elisabeth Mücksch, soprano
Maria Kalmbach, alto
Friedrich Bracks, tenor
Jonathan Saretz, baritone
Michael B. Gernert, bass

Tracklist

  1. Leonard Cohen (1934–2016), arr. Juan M.V. Garcia (*1977): Hallelujah
  2. Johann Grabbe (1585–1655): Lasso, perché mi fuggi
  3. Cor mio, deh, non languire
  4. Alm'afflitta, chi ti darà più vita
  5. Hugo Distler (1908–1942): Ein Stündlein wohl vor Tag
  6. Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Da unten im Tale, WoO 35 Nr. 5
  7. In stiller Nacht, WoO 34 Nr. 8
  8. Verlorene Jugend, op. 104 Nr. 4
  9. Im Herbst, op. 104 Nr. 5
  10. Manning Sherwin (1902–1974), arr. Gene Puerling (1929–2008): A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
  11. John Rutter (*1945): Five Traditional Songs: 1. The girl I left behind me
  12. 2. O waly, waly
  13. 3. The British Grenadiers
  14. 4. Golden slumbers
  15. 5. Dashing away with the smoothing iron
  16. Tom Odell (*1990), arr. Juan M.V. Garcia: Another Love
  17. Gordon Kampe (*1976): Je deviens fou…
  18. Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962), arr. Philip Lawson (*1957): Liebesleid

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