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3. Sonnet

Die Letzte Blaue

Die Katastrophe der Auslöschung von Kultur und Zivilgesellschaft durch die NS-Herrschaft stellt - verstärkt durch die eigene Betroffenheit und folgende Zwangsmigration - die Grundlage des kompositorischen Schaffens Walter Arlens dar. Sinnbildlich für diesen Niedergang steht Die letzte Blaue, so der Name der letzten nächtlichen, an ihrem blauen Licht erkennbaren Straßenbahn der Wiener Linien, und einer Hommage an einen unvergänglichen Schlager jener Zeiten. Neben Werken wie diesem für Klavier solo (Monotypes, Mementos) finden sich auf dieser Doppel-CD des polnisch-kanadischen Pianisten Daniel Wnukowski auch Werke für Klavier und Violine (Daniel Hope) und Lieder für Sopran (Rebecca Nelsen) als auch Bariton (Christian Immler). Eine Besonderheit bietet das dreiteilige Werk ARBEIT MACHT FREI für Klavier und Metronom, das 1995 nach einem Besuch des ehemaligen Vernichtungslagers Auschwitz entstand.

The disaster of the extinction of culture and civil society by the Nazi regime, intensified by his own dismay and enforced exile, constitutes the basis of Walter Arlen's compositional oeuvre. This downfall is symbolized by Die letzte Blaue, the name of the last night-time tram of Vienna Transport, identifiable by its blue light, and a homage to an unforgettable hit of the time. Apart from works like this one for piano solo (Monotypes, Mementos), this double CD by the Polish-Canadian pianist Daniel Wnukowski also contains works for piano and violin (Daniel Hope) and songs for soprano (Rebecca Nelsen) and baritone (Christian Immler). A unique feature is the three-part work ARBEIT MACHT FREI for piano and metronome, which was written in 1995 after a visit to the former extermination camp of Auschwitz. Polish-Canadian pianist Daniel Wnukowski was trained at the Lake Como International Piano Academy in Italy where he worked with distinguished artists such as Dmitri Bashkirov, Menahem Pressler, Claude Frank, and William Grant Naboré, at the Peabody Institute of Baltimore under the guidance of Leon Fleisher and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with Graham Johnson and Ronan O'Hora. He has performed throughout Europe, North America, South America and Asia in prestigious concert halls with many orchestras, including the Polish Radio Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia, Windsor Symphony and Southfield Symphony with conducters such as Jerzy Maksymiuk, Alain Trudel and David Amos. He has also performed in numerous International Festivals such as «Chopin and His Europe» in Warsaw, Poland; Festival Dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy; Chopiniana in Buenos Aires, Argentina; and the Pre-LSO Concert Series in London, UK. British violinist Daniel Hope has toured the world as a virtuoso soloist for more than twenty years. He is renowned for his musical versatility and creativity and for his dedication to humanitarian causes. Daniel Hope, an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist, has earned numerous Grammy nominations, a Classical BRIT award, the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis and six ECHO Klassik Prizes. He regularly directs chamber orchestras as violin soloist with ensembles including the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Camerata Salzburg, and Lucerne Festival Strings. He has performed at the world's most renowned festivals, such as the BBC Proms, Hollywood Bowl and the Lucerne, Ravinia, Salzburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Tanglewood festivals. Daniel Hope resides in Vienna, Austria, and has also published three bestselling books. The German baritone Christian Immler is currently one of the singers of his discipline most in demand. Together with Helmut Deutsch, he recently recorded his first solo CD Modern Times, which has just been awarded the 'Diapason Découverte'. Christian Immler studied with Prof. Rudolf Piernay at the London Guildhall School. In 2001, he was awarded the first prize at the Nadia and Lili Boulanger Competition in Paris. A keen recitalist, Immler has a particular interest in 20th Century 'Emigré Composers' and has appeared at the Wigmore Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Frick Collection in New York. Invitations to major festivals like Salzburg, Lucerne, Vancouver, the BBC Proms, Bergen and Davos followed. More than 30 award-winning recordings with a repertoire extending from Monteverdi to Zemlinsky for Decca, Naïve, Virgin Classics, Bis, Avi, Alpha, Brilliant Classics and Harmonia Mundi testify to his work. Christian Immler is a professor of singing at the Music Academy in Lausanne/Fribourg. After studies at Vienna's University of Music and the Performing Arts on a Fulbright scholarship, Texan soprano Rebecca Nelsen's career was launched with critically acclaimed performances with the Neue Oper Wien. Ms. Nelsen's career has led her to other important guest engagements in internationally acclaimed houses and festivals including principal roles at the Bavarian State Opera.