Lieder des Abschieds

Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Lieder des Abschieds op. 14 were composed in 1920–1921, immediately after his most famous opera Die tote Stadt and in close proximity to the Piano Quintet, op. 15. The close relationship to the Piano Quintet is especially visible in the second movement of the quintet, which Korngold himself described as “free variations on the ‘Songs of Farewell’, op. 14” and which was based in particular on the third song, Mond, so gehst du wieder auf. Korngold orchestrated his songs for large orchestra shortly after completing the piano version.

The present arrangement of the Lieder des Abschieds op. 14 was written for a concert in which the songs were followed by the Piano Quintet. Inspired by the second movement of the quintet, an arrangement for voice and piano quintet was an obvious choice, further emphasising the close relationship between the songs, op. 14, and the Piano Quintet. The double bass added to the piano quintet is ad libitum, as its part is almost completely doubled by the piano. Nevertheless, it lends the sound of the ensemble additional warmth and contour. The chamber music arrangement gives the songs an additional tonal dimension, which differentiates and intensifies the intimacy of the original piano part through extraordinary timbres.

- Andreas Frese