Logan Mays performs “O wüsst’ ich doch den Weg zurüuck” by Johannes Brahms during Liederabend. Choir students performed songs in a variety of languages.
Members from the Linfield Concert Choir sang solos of songs that related to love and intimacy at Liederabend: An Evening of Art Song on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
“Lieder began around the break of the 19th century when music became intimate,” Anton Belov, an assistant professor of the music department said. “[And] Lieder simply means song.”
The event was prepared by Belov and Natalie Gunn, professor in the music department.
Liederabend is German for a recital, but is also signifies an evening of song.
It is a traditional that stems from the 19th century in Vienna, Austria.
A liederabend takes place in an intimate atmosphere like a living room or grandeur of a concert hall.
The songs performed were all in different languages including German, French, Spanish and Italian.
“Since art song as a genre is primarily focused on entertaining the middle classes, composers wrote about themes that would be more universal, such as love and the loss of it,” junior and soprano in the choir Delaney Bullinger said.
Each soloist was accompanied on the piano by Susan McDaniel, who is new faculty member the music department.
Before each song the soloist would recite a quote in English related to the subject of the song. From these songs the audience could get a sense of each song’s meaning and significance.
“The world is going into slumber, but the pain in my heart never sleeps,” senior Gulfem Tornular said, a mezzo-sporano in the Concert Choir who sang “Gestillte Sehnsucht” by Johannes Brahms.
McDaniel accompanied Tornular on the piano and senior Tabitha Gholi on the violin.
There was also a humorous quote recited by Bullinger before she sang the song “Quel Galant M’est Comparable” by Maurice Ravel, who was a French composer in the late 19th and early 18th centuries.
Senior Gulfem Tornular performs “Gestillte Sehnsucht” by Austrian composer Johanes Brahms, accompanied by junior Tabitha Gholi on the Violin and Susan McDaniel, principal staff accompanist, on the piano.
“Look at me. I’m the most handsome man in this town. I can have any of these women I want, but I choose you,” Bullinger said, making the audience laugh.
The choir students began practicing their songs since the beginning of the semester.
Each student met with Belov and Gunn once a week at individual times.
Junior and baritone in the choir Ryan Thompson said that the choir hopes to make Liederabend an official event that occurs once a semester.
Thompson performed “Das Wandern” by Franz Schubert, an Austrian music composer.
“I really enjoy how playful the melody and lyrics are [in “Das Wandern”], as I essentially get to be a farm boy enjoying the simple pleasures of hiking around the German countryside,” Thompson said.
“I can definitely relate to the song as I am a pretty happy-go-lucky guy myself that enjoys taking in the beautiful landscape of the Willamette Valley every now and then.”
Mariah Gonzales / Culture editor
Mariah Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
