Schumann:
Der Arme Peter
Dichterliebe, Op. 48
Mondnacht (Liederkreis von Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff, Op. 39/5)

Beethoven:
An die Ferne Geliebte

Wolf:
Liederstrauss

Schumann’s song cycle Dichterliebe (poet’s love) op. 48 after 16 poems from Heinrich Heine’s Book of Songs was likewise written in 1840, the composer’s “year of the song”. The choice of poems explains the title that Schumann himself gave to the cycle: the love described from the poet’s perspective is initially hopeful and fulfilled (songs 1– 6) and then disappointed (from song 7 onwards), sung in metaphors of flowers and birds, roses, lilies, doves and nightingales, the sun, and even the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Benjamin Bruns began his singing career as an alto soloist with the boys’ choir in his home city of Hanover. After four years of private singing lessons with Prof. Peter Sefcik, he studied at the Academy of Music and Theatre in Hamburg under the Kammersängerin Renate Behle. Together with pianist Karola Theill he is regularly giving Lied recitals, dedicated especially to the important cycles of Schumann, Schubert and Beethoven. But also songs by Wolf, Britten Fauré, Szymanowski and Strauss are to be found in his programs.

Karola Theill was a real discovery, wrote Der Tagespiegel in praise of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau’s accompanist following their Lieder recital in the Berlin Philharmonie. As one of the few female pianists specializing in song interpretation, Karola Theill has made her name as a performer, teacher and university lecturer.

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Recording: 5.-7. Oktober 2015, Wasserburg Haus Graven, Langenfeld