Alpen

Krenek’s wonderful travelogue is a real tour de force; a fusion of the remembrance of things past—the Schubertian landscape of Austria and its cultural history—with the music of the 1920s. The very special demands it makes of its performers are effortlessly negotiated by Florian Boesch and Roger Vignoles.

"Ich reise aus, mein Heimat zu entdecken" On this stirring note begins Ernst Krenek's Reisebuch aus den österreichischen Alpen. It sounds confident and hearty but this is no Romantic hero striding into the world. Unglaube gegen uns selbst ist zuviel in uns verwurzelt (lack of faith in ourselves is deeply rooted). This song cycle is, no less, a parable for modern times, when the idea of identity is constantly being challenged by change. Like Hanns Eisler's Hollywood Liederbuch, Krenek's Reisebuch is one of the milestones of 20th century song.