1. Auf Flügeln des Gesanges (On Wings of Song) The text is from Lyrisches Intermezzo of 1823 by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) and tells of melody’s power to transport lovers to the most beautiful night garden, with bright and fragrant flowers, gazelles, a murmuring stream, and a palm tree, under which they can dream. It is well known in the setting by Mendelssohn, written in 1834.
2. Seit Ich Ihn Gesehen (Since I First Saw Him) The text is from Adelbert von Chamisso’s set of poems Frauen-Liebe und Leben, most famously set by Schumann in 1840. A young girl cries that she has been blinded by the vision of a gentleman who has unknowingly lifted her from darkness. Overwhelmed by the new emotions of adoration and infatuation, she retreats into isolation.
This new edition superceeds the Nova Music publication of 1982 (NM249) and the European Archive edition (EMA119), originally edited by Georgina Dobrée, both now out of print. This edition is fully re-edited and includes the option of a second clarinet in place of the voice.