“I have qualms about beginning this letter. So let us speak of something else.”
–Johannes Brahms
I wrote a Brahms Letters Programs years ago. PLF, as I like to call it. (When Lyric Fest was just a twinkle in our eye.) There was a newish book of his letters out by Styra Avins. (Highly recommended.) I’ve always been fond of reading other peoples letters. (…) Anyway. For a guy who said he hated writing letters he was amazingly expressive with the written word. He was funny. He was crabby. And I just love it when he pulls off whimsy and sarcasm in the same sentence.
Now there is a NEW biography of Brahms out, (also highly recommended) so we just had to revisit this art song titan. What a life. It would be a mistake to think this will be just another art song recital with Brahms songs. (As if there would be anything wrong with that.)
Friday, January 22, 2016 at 7:30 PM at The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill
Sunday, January 24, 2016 at 3 PM at The Academy of Vocal Arts
A little teaser: Christa Ludwig and Leonard Bernstein performing Von ewiger Liebe – live. A Classic. And here’s something to wrap your head around: Leonard Bernstein was born just 21 years after Brahms died.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgIDdZobeHg