Nachts in Der Stadt

Die Geschichte vergisst das Ungesühnte nicht. Missouri, Sommer 1929. In einer Kleinstadt sterben 42 Menschen, als es eines Nachts bei einer Tanzveranstaltung zu einer gewaltigen Explosion kommt. Es gibt viele Gerüchte über die Tragödie, doch die wahren Ursachen kommen nie ans Tageslicht, und als kurz darauf die Große Depression über das Land hereinbricht, scheint alles zu verblassen. Nur eine Person lassen die Ereignisse nicht los, die Haushälterin Alma DeGeer Dunahew. Sie hat ihre Schwester Ruby in den Flammen verloren und glaubt nicht an einen Unfall…

Valerie Eickhoff (Sopran) und Eric Schneider (Klavier) präsentieren auf dieser Aufnahme das Hollywood Songbook von Hanns Eisler, der als einer der einflussreichsten Komponisten des 20. Jahrhunderts gilt. Er war aber auch eine tragische Figur in der Musikgeschichte und wurde aufgrund seiner Herkunft und politischen Ansichten verfolgt. In den Liedern, von denen viele Texte von Bertolt Brecht enthalten, werden Themen wie Pazifismus, Flucht, Exil behandelt. Sie stellen damit eine geistig-ideelle Selbstbehauptung dar, sind aber gleichzeitig auch ein musikalisches Tagebuch.

On this recording, Valerie Eickhoff (soprano) and Eric Schneider (piano) present the Hollywood Songbook by Hanns Eisler, who is considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. However, he was also a tragic figure in music history and was persecuted because of his origins and political views. The songs, many of which contain texts by Bertolt Brecht, deal with themes such as pacifism, flight and exile. They thus represent a spiritual-ideal self-assertion, but are also a musical diary.

The Deutscher Kammerchor with its conductor Rainer Held present the world's first album exclusively with works by the Swiss composer Markus Fricker (*1943). The album shows the versatility and range of this composer, who is very well known and highly popular in Switzerland and has already won numerous prizes for his works. It contains sacred and secular pieces, arrangements of folk songs from various countries as well as original compositions for mixed choir and men's choir. Fricker does not rely on rhythmic or even arhythmic avant-garde, but wants to create a tangible sense of togetherness with his music, especially for the listeners who sing in a choir themselves.

The Deutscher Kammerchor with its conductor Rainer Held present the world's first album exclusively with works by the Swiss composer Markus Fricker (*1943). The album shows the versatility and range of this composer, who is very well known and highly popular in Switzerland and has already won numerous prizes for his works. It contains sacred and secular pieces, arrangements of folk songs from various countries as well as original compositions for mixed choir and men's choir. Fricker does not rely on rhythmic or even arhythmic avant-garde, but wants to create a tangible sense of togetherness with his music, especially for the listeners who sing in a choir themselves.