News from the Members

The "Four white songs" (Vier Weisse Lieder) were published by pianist Andrej Hoteev at Verlag Doblinger, Vienna in December 2016.  They are the reworking of four of Wagner's older songs, bound together into a cycle and presented to Cosima as a Christmas/birthday gift in December 1868. 

Although the songs are known (and published) individually, and the existence of ‘Vier weisse Lieder’ is known among musicologists, this cycle has now been published and recorded for the first time thanks to the dedication of Andrej Hoteev’s and his work over the last two decades.

The cycle is part of a CD entitled ‘Richard Wagner’s Declarations of Love’ (Liebeserklärungen), comprising songs and piano pieces Wagner wrote for Matthilde and Cosima. On the CD can also be found the first version of the Wesendonck Lieder, which differs from the currently known version both textually, and in the order of songs. The facsimile of the first version was first published in 2013, and this is also a world premiere recording.

The CD  will be released by Haenssler Classic in March 2017.  Please see the material attached for further information and background material.   A link to information on the CD on Hänssler Classic's website can be found here.