Paul Juon: Paradies, Op. 99/1 (1939)

00:00 - I. Paradies: Andante
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Voice: Maria Riccarda Wesseling
Piano: Clau Scherrer
Year of Recording: 2016
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"Paul Juon (1872-1940) was born in Russia into a German-Swiss expat family and studied at the Moscow Conservatory, though from 1904 he was based in Berlin, eventually emigrating to Switzerland after the Nazi acquisition of power. He is primarily remembered as a composer of chamber music, and his Lieder and folk-song collections remained in limbo until they were rediscovered by the Swiss mezzo Maria Riccarda Wesseling during research at Lausanne University. Her Juon programme was originally intended as a birthday present to her mother, who comes from the same canton as the composer’s family.

She and pianist Clau Scherrer are persuasive guides through Juon’s world. Wesseling’s voice is expressive, and she has a finely understated way with words. In the folk songs, one notices the ironic smile in her tone as a macho Cossack is dumped by his girlfriend in the Ukrainian set, and a refined sensuality as a corresponding Russian pair meet furtively by a brook. The Lieder proper are all little dramas, with moods and characters carefully etched. Scherrer is a wonderful accompanist, subtle, clear and alert throughout. A disc of great sincerity, beautifully done." (Gramophone)
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Видео Paul Juon: Paradies, Op. 99/1 (1939) канала Preston Atkins