Romanticism's Last Stand

In the last decade of the nineteenth century, musical Romanticism was breathing its last, reaching heights of passion that would deliver some of the most moving music in history. Written two years apart, both Arnold Schoenberg and Oskar Fried’s responses to Richard Dehmel's well-known poem on love’s power to transform and transcend share a lusciousness and warmth that could only have come from 1890s Vienna. That was the time and place where Schoenberg met his hero, Johannes Brahms, and soon decided to rework a Brahms piano quartet known for its good-natured energy and drive.

Lehár’s Tone Poem Fieber for tenor and orchestra, written during World War I, sets words by Erwin Weill describing the hallucinations of a dying soldier. Tenor Stuart Skelton makes a welcome return to the BBC SO to perform this extraordinary and heart-rending delve into Romanticism’s last stand. Edward Gardner conducts.

Presented by Martin Handley

Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht
Oskar Fried: Verklärte Nacht, Op.9*#
Franz Lehár: Fieber#

8.30
Interval

Franz Schreker: Der Wind
Stefan Arzberger (violin)
Matthias Moosdorf (cello)
Marco Thomas (clarinet)
Clemens Roger (horn)
Olga Gollej (piano)

Zemlinsky: Albumblatt (Albumleaf)
Silke Avenhaus (piano)

Zemlinksy: String Quintet in D Minor o.O 2nd movement prestissimo
Bartholdy Quintet

8.50
Part 2

Brahms arr. Schoenberg: Piano Quartet No.1 in G minor

Christine Rice (Mezzo-soprano)*
Stuart Skelton (Tenor)*#
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner (Conductor)