Steven Tharp - Complete Songs

This is the first complete recording of MacDowell's art songs. Between 1883 and 1902 he composed a total of 42 songs, which were, however, published out of chronological sequence. The earliest in opus number, the Two Old Songs, Opus 9, were actually the eighth group of songs MacDowell wrote. MacDowell's songs in their order of composition, marked a change in technical style. The earliest, dating from 1883, are full and opulent, but he soon began cutting back the piano score to the merest background for the vocal line. The earliest songs were composed in 1883 and published as Opp. 11 and 12 by C.F. Kahnt in Leipzig. In 1898 Breitkopf & Hartel reprinted the five songs as one set. Heinrich Heine is the author of the poems for Du liebst mich nicht (You Love me Not), Oben, wo die Sterne gluhen (The Skies, where Stars are Glowing) and Mein LiebGhen (My Love and I sat Close Together). The texts for the two songs of Opus 12 are by Emanuel Geibel and Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock. MacDowel1 was still very much under the influence of Raff and these five early songs are fairly Germanic in both style and beauty and some biographers have even compared them stylistically to early Richard Strauss.

1) Two Songs Op.34: Menie
2) Two Songs Op.34: My Jean
3) Drei Lieder Op.33: Bitte (A Request)
4) Drei Lieder Op.33: Geistliches Wiegenlied (Cradle Hymn)
5) Drei Lieder Op.33: Idylle (Idyll)
6) Three Songs Op.60: Tyrant Love
7) Three Songs Op.60: Fair Springtide
8) Three Songs Op.60: To the Golden Rod
9) Six Love Songs Op.40: Sweet Blue-Eyed Maid
10) Six Love Songs Op.40: Sweetheart Tell Me
11) Six Love Songs Op.40: Thy Beaming Eyes
12) Six Love Songs Op.40: For Sweet Love's Sake
13) Six Love Songs Op.40: O Lovely Rose
14) Six Love Songs Op.40: I Ask But This
15) Drei Lieder Op.11: My Love and I Sat Close Together
16) Drei Lieder Op.11: You Love Me Not
17) Drei Lieder Op.11: The Skies Where the Stars Are Glowing
18) Zwei Lieder Op.12: Night Song
19) Zwei Lieder Op.12: The Band of Roses
20) From An Old Garden Op.26: The Pansy
21) From An Old Garden Op.26: The Myrtle
22) From An Old Garden Op.26: The Clover
23) From An Old Garden Op.26: The Yellow Daisy
24) From An Old Garden Op.26: The Bluebell
25) From An Old Garden Op.26: The Mignonette
26) Eight Songs Op.47: The Robin Sings in the Apple Tree
27) Eight Songs Op.47: Midsummer Lullaby
28) Eight Songs Op.47: Folksong
29) Eight Songs Op.47: Confidence
30) Eight Songs Op.47: The West Wind Croons in the Cedar Trees
31) Eight Songs Op.47: In the Woods
32) Eight Songs Op.47: The Sea
33) Eight Songs Op.47: Through the Meadow
34) Two Old Songs Op.9: Deserted
35) Two Old Songs Op.9: Slumber Song
36) Four Songs Op.56: Long Ago Sweetheart Mine
37) Four Songs Op.56: The Swan Bent Low to the Lily
38) Four Songs Op.56: A Maid Sings Light
39) Four Songs Op.56: As the Gloaming Shadows Creep
40) Three Songs Op.58: Constancy
41) Three Songs Op.58: Sunrise
42) Three Songs Op.58: Merry Maiden Spring