Songs from op. 1, 8 and 9 (ca. 1822–1830) arranged for chamber orchestra by Tal-Haim Samnon
FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809–1847) Infelice op. 94 – Concert Aria (1843/51)
GUSTAV MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 4 in G major (1901) arranged for chamber orchestra by Ronald Kornfeil
Chen Reiss, soprano
Tassilo Probst, violin Daniel Grossmann, conductor
JEWISH
"I hear a sob in this music, a strangle sigh, that simply sounds Jewish. [...], not Hebrew, not Israelic, but Jewish, in the most universal sense," writes Leonard Bernstein about the music of Gustav Mahler. Mahler's work is shaped by his Jewish origins, as is that of his siblings Felix Mendelssohn and Fanny Hensel: the Jewish roots are audible, although both families assimilated into the German majority society in order to secure opportunities for themselves and their children at social recognition and careers.
TODAY The oeuvre of Fanny Hensel - who, as a woman of her time, was denied a career as a composer - is still largely forgotten. Together with the Israeli soprano Chen Reiss, the JCOM is contributing to the rediscovery and dissemination of the works of Felix Mendelssohn's 'unknown sister' - with sensitively newly orchestrated songs, which we present both in recordings and on concert stages.
FOR ALL The newly compiled concert program builds bridges: In his presentations, Daniel Grossmann establishes cross-connections between the three composers, discusses their origins and shows how Mahler's 4th Symphony musically points the way into the 20th century. Come and search for clues with us!
