The Maximilian

Kaiser Maximilian I. - Lieder, Chansons, Tänze - Per-Sonat, Sabine Lutzenberger (2019) {Christophorus CHR 77438}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 324 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 152 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 15 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2019 Christophorus | CHR 77438
Classical / Renaissance / Period Instruments

The 500th anniversary of the death of Emperor Maximilian I this year is the occasion for several exhibitions and also for the programme of the ensemble Per-Sonat's new release. Maximilian, who was crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1508, was a great patron of the arts in addition to his warlike activities. Here the music was in his special interest and he brought the most important musicians of his time to his court: Heinrich Isaac, Josquin des Pres, Paul Hofhaimer and Johannes Ockeghem. The artistic sacred music for Emperor Maximilian has already been widely published. The ensemble Per-Sonat, directed by Sabine Lutzenberger, consists exclusively of leading heads of the early music scene and now turns to secular music at Maximilian's court: the songs, chansons and dances that document the emperor's love of music in a new way.

Victor Herbert, Irish by birth, moved to Germany when he was eight and came to America when both he and his wife landed gigs with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York. Operetta was plainly his strength, and his works in that medium remain his best known. But he soaked up enough of the German tradition (in 1883 he played in a tribute concert to Liszt, with Brahms of all people conducting) to want to write serious music, and he notched several major disasters in that field. That in turn has led to neglect of smaller works like the ones on this album, which contains several gems.

Maximilian Steinberg studied at the St Petersburg Conservatory from 1901 – simultaneously with studying natural sciences at the city’s university. At the conservatory, where he was a contemporary of Stravinsky, initially a friend, Steinberg’s teachers included Glazunov – the dedicatee of his First Symphony – and Rimsky-Korsakov. The latter took a shine to Steinberg, recognising him as a significant talent and took opportunities to further his career, to the chagrin of Stravinsky. In due course, Steinberg married Rimsky’s daughter. He remained in St Petersburg (later Leningrad) for the rest of his life, becoming director of the conservatory in 1934. Among his pupils at the conservatory was Shostakovich.