Mendelssohn's Lieder ohne Worte ("Songs Without Words") were part and parcel of English 19th century musical life. Then, as Mendelssohn declined in popularity, they were categorized as salon music, and many were forgotten. Now, Mendelssohn is on an upswing, but it's still more common to encounter them on programs of Mendelssohn's or others' assorted piano music. It may seem that to hear a whole album's worth of them is a lot, but veteran pianist Peter Donohoe makes a sterling case for playing them this way. He takes these ...
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Mendelssohn's Lieder ohne Worte ("Songs Without Words") were part and parcel of English 19th century musical life. Then, as Mendelssohn declined in popularity, they were categorized as salon music, and many were forgotten. Now, Mendelssohn is on an upswing, but it's still more common to encounter them on programs of Mendelssohn's or others' assorted piano music. It may seem that to hear a whole album's worth of them is a lot, but veteran pianist Peter Donohoe makes a sterling case for playing them this way. He takes these little pieces seriously, bringing crystalline detail to each one, and in his hands, they reveal great variety within their modest dimensions. The Songs Without Words are often described as having vocal-like textures, with a cantabile melody and chordal accompaniment. In Donohoe's hands, that configuration can take on various shades, and he also intersperses song-like textures with pieces that have purely pianistic textures; there are quite a few of these. He puts pieces together...
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