Zwei Droste-Hülshoff Lieder

Zwei Droste-Hülshoff Lieder was commissioned by San Francisco’s LIEDER ALIVE! as part of the organization’s mission to preserve the German lieder tradition through classes, recitals and the creation of new works.  It was premiered in San Francisco in January, 2015 by soprano Jessica Wan, joined by clarinetist Natalie Parker, violist Paul Yarbrough and pianist Laura Dahl. The texts are taken from 19th-Century German poet Annette von Droste Hülshoff.

Use the player links above to listen, or view the premiere performance on YouTube.

Program Note

In 2014 I was one of several Bay Area composers commissioned to participate in the “Neue Lieder Songbook” – a project of San Francisco-based recital series LIEDER ALIVE!, whose mission is to preserve the tradition of art song in the German language.

This pair of chamber songs sets texts by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff (1797–1848), one of the few women poets of the German Romantic era to gain lasting recognition. Her vivid and psychologically layered poems are rarely encountered in art song literature, especially outside of Germany. These two settings treat the poems as if they were operatic monologues: each is a self-contained dramatic scene for soprano with instrumental ensemble.

The first song, “O Nacht” (Oh, Night), is mysterious and introspective. The character addresses the night and moon with wonder and reverence, seeking answers to symbolic, possibly unanswerable questions. The music lingers in ambiguity, ultimately finding repose in a final, unresolved question.

The second, “Lebt Wohl” (Farewell), is more extroverted: a bold and defiant leave-taking that conceals emotional vulnerability. Though the text might suggest a slow lament, the musical setting moves with biting energy, casting the speaker as resilient and theatrical.

Scored for soprano, clarinet, viola, and piano, the ensemble offers an expressive palette that supports both songs’ shifts between clarity and opacity, drama and intimacy. The songs can be performed together or individually and are well suited to recital programs exploring women’s voices—both poetically and musically.

—Michael Kaulkin