Hello there, Michael! I love this piece. Your essay inspired me to learn more about Korngold. I only knew of one aria of his, Marietta’s Lied from Die Tote Stadt, which I studied and sang in NYC many years ago. I see that he premiered the opera in 1920, when he was only 23 years old! I can see why he was so popular in Vienna. Here’s a version with Renée Fleming singing in Munich at an outdoor concert: https://youtu.be/ErdxbjzOFp4?si=mLPK_hG3th92m64O. I hope you and your listeners enjoy it and thank you so much. You’ve made my day!
Thanks, Anne — I’m so happy to have inspired your deep dive into Korngold today! I just adore Marietta’s Lied. It was my introduction to Korngold, and will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you for sharing Renee’s performance with everyone here! 💙
I discovered researching this piece that one of his final works was a song, Sonnet for Vienna — one last nostalgia-pierced expression of love for the city he lost. Annie Sofie von Otter has a great recording. Enjoy!
You’re such a cinephile, Jules — doesn’t surprise me that you knew Korngold already! ☺️ I gasped when I found that picture of him and Bette on set. Two icons of Golden Age cinema. 💙
An incredible piece of music, thank you for this introduction, full of so much emotion and your writing only adds to the depth of emotion present. Thank you!!
Everything about how his life unfolded in the end makes me so sad 💙 Clearly he was born in the wrong age (tho I’m sure so many were thrilled to experience his music during their lifetimes!) This piece is magnificent… so many colors. In that final third, I picture him walking through Vienna after the war. A beautiful disaster. Thank you for honoring his name and music here on this corner of the internet, especially for those of us who’d never learned about his pivotal influence on our beloved film scores!
"A beautiful disaster" — what a way to put it, Katie! Glad you enjoyed getting to know the story around Erich's violin concerto. 💙
It's so important to tell these stories, and I'm glad to have played some small part in shining a light. The longer the stories of the composers silenced (in any number of ways) by the Nazis lie in the shadows, the more the authoritarians are triumphant in their desire to eradicate so much art that deserves to be experienced.
Hello there, Michael! I love this piece. Your essay inspired me to learn more about Korngold. I only knew of one aria of his, Marietta’s Lied from Die Tote Stadt, which I studied and sang in NYC many years ago. I see that he premiered the opera in 1920, when he was only 23 years old! I can see why he was so popular in Vienna. Here’s a version with Renée Fleming singing in Munich at an outdoor concert: https://youtu.be/ErdxbjzOFp4?si=mLPK_hG3th92m64O. I hope you and your listeners enjoy it and thank you so much. You’ve made my day!
Thanks, Anne — I’m so happy to have inspired your deep dive into Korngold today! I just adore Marietta’s Lied. It was my introduction to Korngold, and will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you for sharing Renee’s performance with everyone here! 💙
I discovered researching this piece that one of his final works was a song, Sonnet for Vienna — one last nostalgia-pierced expression of love for the city he lost. Annie Sofie von Otter has a great recording. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/yHEjlLF2M4k?si=KYgpFP9oWzCe9k8G
A beautiful piece. Korngold's name is familiar to me because I love the films of Bette Davis and have done for many years.
Thanks, Michael. I really enjoyed the music, and also finding out more about him.
You’re such a cinephile, Jules — doesn’t surprise me that you knew Korngold already! ☺️ I gasped when I found that picture of him and Bette on set. Two icons of Golden Age cinema. 💙
An incredible piece of music, thank you for this introduction, full of so much emotion and your writing only adds to the depth of emotion present. Thank you!!
Thank you, David — that means so much to me. 🙏🏻
Hey, thank you for this tribute to Korngold, and for weaving together the themes of his life and experience into your narrative so adroitly.
I appreciate it, Nicholas — glad you enjoyed your time here today. 🙏🏻
Everything about how his life unfolded in the end makes me so sad 💙 Clearly he was born in the wrong age (tho I’m sure so many were thrilled to experience his music during their lifetimes!) This piece is magnificent… so many colors. In that final third, I picture him walking through Vienna after the war. A beautiful disaster. Thank you for honoring his name and music here on this corner of the internet, especially for those of us who’d never learned about his pivotal influence on our beloved film scores!
"A beautiful disaster" — what a way to put it, Katie! Glad you enjoyed getting to know the story around Erich's violin concerto. 💙
It's so important to tell these stories, and I'm glad to have played some small part in shining a light. The longer the stories of the composers silenced (in any number of ways) by the Nazis lie in the shadows, the more the authoritarians are triumphant in their desire to eradicate so much art that deserves to be experienced.
Agreed! Tho now I shudder to think what current music is being stamped out or censored over there 😞
And here! Everything happening with the Kennedy Center and the NEA/NEH puts my stomach in knots.
UGH... I know. I hope there's a brighter side to this eventually!