Mannes Sounds Festival: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Fictional Muses

The German Consulate General Co-presents:

Since the year 2000, Mannes Sounds Festival has presented annual concerts on a wide range of topics as part of the Mannes Sounds Festival at the German Consulate General.

Founded in 1999 by Pavlina Dokovska, chair of the Mannes Piano department, the Mannes Sounds Festival presents more than 20 concerts annually performed by young artists from Mannes School of Music, the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and the School of Drama as well as masterclasses and lectures by distinguished faculty members and renowned guest artists. It is one of the outstanding components of the Mannes performance program. The events are held at various prestigious concert venues and cultural institutions throughout New York City.

On April 10th, the young artists of Mannes School of Music will perform works by multiple German composers such as Beethoven, Reichardt, Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, Brahms and new compositions by young composers of Mannes.

This year's program is curated by John Hargraves, Ph.D and revolves around two female figures, created by the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who inspired some of the greatest songs in musical literature. The mysterious and tragic figure of Mignon first appears in Wilhelm Meister, and her songs have subsequently been set to music by dozens of composers. Suleika, the female voice in Goethe’s cycle known as the West-Eastern Divan (anthology), has similarly been appropriated by many song writers, such as Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Reichardt, Wolf, Tchaikovsky. The history of the two figures will briefly be examined, and the performers will present songs of these composers, as well as some new compositions by young composers of Mannes, inspired by these lyrics.

The program will include the following songs:

1. Reichardt - Kennst du das Land

2. Schumann - Kennst du das Land

3.Liszt - Mignon's Song

4. Schubert - Mignon und der Harfener Duet

5. Tchaikovsky - None but the lonely heart

6. Wolf - III (Wer nie sein Brot)

7. Schumann - Singet nicht in Trauertönen

8. Wolf - Philine

9. Schubert - Lied Der Mignon (Heiss mich nicht reden)

10. Maxwell Kaye - Heiss mich nicht reden

11. Schubert - Lied Der Mignon II - So lasst mich scheinen

12. Schumann - So lasst mich scheinen

13. Schubert - Suleika (Was Bedeutet Die Bewegung)

14. Wolf - Komm, Liebchen, Komm!

15. Schumann - Lied der Suleika (Wie mit innigstem Behagen)

16. Brahms - Phänomen (duet)

17. Keaton Hoy - Suleika 108

18. Wolf - Hochbeglückt in deiner Liebe

The program starts at 6:30pm, doors open at 6:00pm.

Please bring a government issued ID as there will be a security check.