Kurt Weill - Anne Sofie Von Otter, John Eliot Gardiner – Speak Low (Songs By Kurt Weill) & The Seven Deadly Sins

Kurt Weill's ballet with songs is one of this century's greatest theatrical works. It has all the wit and melodic appeal of The Threepenny Opera and social conscience of Mahagonny, but more warmth and musical sophistication than either. It's also all over with in about 40 minutes. Some critics believe the piece was intended as a sort of love poem to Weill's wife, Lotte Lenya; given the tenderness of much of the music, it's hard to disagree. Lenya herself recorded the piece in the 1950s (a recording recently reissued by Sony) and this very much newer performance is welcome particularly for Anne Sofie von Otter's highly intelligent and musical way with the text. The other songs, from both Weill's Berlin and Broadway periods, make the perfect filler.

Tracklist:

Die Sieben Todsünden
1) Introduktion: Andante sostenuto "Meine Schwester . . . [3:24]
2) Faulheit: Allegro vivace "Müssiggang ist aller Laster" [3:47]
3) Stolz: Allegretto, quasi andantino "Als wir aber" [4:19]
4) Zorn: Molto agitato "Das geht nicht vorwärts" [4:00]
5) Völlerei: Largo "Das ist ein Brief aus Philadelphia" [2:58]
6) No.5 Unzucht "Und wir fanden einen Mann in Boston" [5:36]
7) Habsucht: Allegro giusto "Wie hier in der Zeitung" [2:56]
8) Neid: Allegro non troppo "Und die letzte Stadt" [5:06]
9) Epilogue "Darauf kehrten wir zurück nach Lousiana" [1:50]

Lady in the Dark
10) 3. My Ship [2:42]
11) 1. One Life to Live [3:01]

Two songs with piano
12) Buddy on the Nightshift [2:09]
13) Nannas Lied [4:02]

Happy End (1929)tran. Chris Hazell/Tony Burke
14) 1. Bilbao Song [4:27]
15) 2. Surabaya Johnny [6:01]
16) 6. Das Lied von der harten Nuss (Song of the Big Shot) [1:06]

Three songs with piano
17) Je ne t'aime pas [4:29]
18) Schickelgruber [2:51]
19) Der Abschiedsbrief [3:25]

One Touch of Venus
20) Foolish Heart [2:28]
21) Speak Low [3:59]
22) I'm A Stranger Here Myself [3:13]

Anne Sofie von Otter
Bengt Forsberg
NDR-Sinfonieorchester
John Eliot Gardiner
Recording: Hamburg-Harburg, Friedrich-Ebert-Halle, 9/1993

Kurt Weill - Anne Sofie von Otter - Speak Low & the Seven Deadly Sins
(192 kbps, cover art included)