Voices of Europe CD
Engel Lund's Book of Folk Songs with pianoforte accompaniments by Ferdinand Rauter
The Anglo-Austrian Music Society is proud to have helped sponsor this CD in memory of Ferdinand Rauter, founder of the Anglo-Austrian Music Society.
http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=822500

Disc 1

  1 Stódum tvau í túni (Iceland) [1:14]
  2 Hjuringsvisa (Herdmaid's Song) (Norway) [1:05]
  3 Stev fra telemarken (Love Lament from Telemarken) (Norway) [1:36]
  4 Paal paa haugen (Paul and the Hen) (Norway) [1:07]
  5 Kristallen den fina (Like a Crystal so fine) (Sweden) [1:59]
  6 Brudstassen (The Wedding Array) (Sweden) [1:57]
  7 Stor Ola, lill' Ola (Big Ola, dear Ola) (Sweden) [0:52]
  8 Lammen har jag (Lambs have I) (Sweden) [0:52]
  9 Langt udi skoven (The Tree in the Forest) (Denmark) [1:21]
10 Roselil og hendes moder (Rosalil and her Mother) (Denmark) [4:02]
11 De tolv hellige ting (The twelve holy Things) (Denmark) [1:07]
12 Es isch kei söliger Stamme (No Race there is to vie) (Switzerland) [0:54]
13 Kuhreigen (Alpine Cowherd Song) (Switzerland) [0:44]
14 Es kam ein Herr zum Schloessli (To a little Castle there came a Knight) (Switzerland) [1:02]
15 Arum di Lichtelach (Around the Candles) (Yiddish) [2:09]
16 Pinchosl un Chantschele (Pinchossel and Hannah) (Yiddish) [1:27]
17 Die choissid beim bojn di suke (The pious Jew builds his Booth) (Yiddish) [1:04]
18 Ai ai, der rebe geit (Ay, ay, the Rabbi's here) (Yiddish) [1:39]
19 Sinner Man (Appalachian, USA) [3:20]
20 Counting Song (Appalachian, USA) [1:49]
21 Der schwere Traum (The heavy Dream) (Germany) [1:55]
22 Nachtwächterlied (Song of the Night Watchman) (Germany) [2:55]
23 Fünf Söhne (The Fate of the Five Sons) (Germany) [2:49]
24 Die Vogelhochzeit (The Wedding of the Birds) (Germany) [2:39]

Disc 2

25 Maria durch ein Dornwald ging (Sweet Mary through a Thorn Grove did go) (Germany) [1:46]
26 Nattergalen (The Nightingale) (Denmark) [1:55]
27 Det haver saa nyligen regnet (Tonight it has just stopped raining) (Denmark) [1:56]
28 Munken gaar i Enge (The Monk in the Meadow) (Denmark) [1:22]
29 Naa ska'en liten faa sova saa södt (The Cradle is ready) (Norway) [2:06]
30 Eg heiter Anne Knutsdatter (My Name is Annie Campbell) (Norway) [2:25]
31 Uti vår hage (Out in the Garden) (Sweden) [2:15]
32 Näfvervisen (The Birchbark Song) (Sweden) [1:36]
33 Litlu börnin leika sjer (Little Children run to play) (Iceland) [1:09]
34 Bi bi og blaka (Bye Bye and Hushabye) (Iceland) [1:19]
35 Di alte kasche (The old Riddle) (Yiddish) [1:16]
36 As ech wolt gehat dem Kaissres oizress (Had I all the Emperor's Riches) (Yiddish) [2:29]
37 Du solst nit gein (You shall not walk) (Yiddish) [1:09]
38 Guignolot de St. Lazot (The Feast of St. Lazarus) (France) [1:44]
39 Noël Provençal (Carol) (France) [2:02]
40 Ah, Lambert (Ah, Lambert) (Belgium) [2:00]
41 Jesuken en Janneken (Little Jesus and St. John) (Holland) [2:33]
42 Andulicko Moje (Mary Ann, my Pretty) (Czech Republic) [0:38]
43 Tenkrate Bude Victoria (Then rise to Victory) (Czech Republic) (1:23)
44 Es geht eine dunkle Wolk herein (The heavy Clouds blow up again) (Germany) [1:33]
45 Wiegenlied (Cradle Song) (Germany) [0:39]
46 Die zwei Rosen (The two Roses) (Austria) [1:01]
47 Heute bin ich rot (Today my Blood runs red) (Austria) [2:01]
48 Hold on (Kentucky, USA) [3:13]
49 The Derby Ram (England) [2:10]

Sigridur Osk Kristjansdottir (mezzo), Ouri Bronchti (piano) (1,33,34)
Randi Synnøve Røssaak (soprano), James Southall (piano) (2,3,4,29,30)
Håkan Ekenäs (baritone), Ouri Bronchti (piano) (5,7,8,31)
Anna Grevelius (mezzo), Ouri Bronchti (piano) (6,32),
Jasia Julia Nielsen (mezzo), James Southall (piano) (9,10,11,26,27,28)
Benno Widmer, tenor, James Southall (piano) (12,13,14)
Revital Raviv (soprano), Ouri Bronchti (piano) (15,17,18,35,36,)
Tania Mandzy (mezzo), Ouri Bronchti (piano) (19,48)
Tania Mandzy (mezzo), Jasia Julia Nielsen (mezzo), James Southall (piano) (20)
Daniela Lehner (mezzo), Kathron Sturrock (piano) (21,23,26,44,45,46,47)
Norbert Meyn, tenor, James Southall (piano) (22,24,)
Sophie Angebault (soprano), Ouri Bronchti (piano) (38,39,40)
Madeleen Ijsselmuiden (mezzo), James Southall (piano) (41)
Vojtech Safarík (bass-baritone), Ouri Bronchti (piano) (42,43)
Sigridur Osk Kristjansdottir (mezzo), Norbert Meyn (tenor), Andrea Rauter, Revital Raviv (soprano), Simon Wallfisch (baritone), Benno Widmer (tenor), James Southall (piano) (49)

An exceptional group of young international singers have just accomplished the first ever recording of ENGEL LUND'S BOOK OF FOLK SONG, a unique collection of beautiful folk songs in 10 different languages, created in London in 1936 by the Icelandic singer Engel Lund and Austrian composer FERDINAND RAUTER, founder of the Anglo-Austrian Music Society. These were published by Oxford University Press. The recording was produced at the Royal College of Music studio in London by Norbert Meyn, Professor at the RCM, and introduces some of the best young singers in London today, including the Austrian Mezzo-Soprano Daniela Lehner.

In the 1930's and 40's the Icelandic singer ENGEL LUND and FERDINAND RAUTER, represented by London's premiere artists agency, Ibbs & Tillett, travelled the world with a unique recital programme of folk songs from many European countries. At a time of growing separation, violence and destruction these artists brought a message of the universal nature of the human heart to enthusiastic audiences all over Europe and the United States. Engel Lund herself sang in 17 different languages, included Jewish as well as German songs in each programme, and gave lively, much praised introductions to the songs and the stories in them. The Chicago Daily News wrote in 1937: "Her recital gave a glimpse into the human heart of many peoples; that heart is very much alike the world over, but Mme Lund has studied it on a humble level where the native differences of its expression mean everything and are dearest."

In 2006, seventy years after Engel Lund's Book of Folk Songs was first published, young singers from all these different countries could be found in London, so all songs are sung by a native speaker of each language. With this CD, a new generation of singers pays tribute to two extraordinary artists of the 20th century. It unites young talent from Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, France, the United States, Israel, the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. The project was funded by the Anglo-Austrian Music Society, the Austrian Cultural Forum, The Icelandic, Czech and German Embassies, the Royal College of Music and by Erste Bank London.

"Engel Lund's collection of folksongs is a casket of musical gems. Ferdinand Rauter's piano parts are crafted in a way that never destroys the simplicity or the national character of the originals - and they cover a wide range, from Lund's native Iceland to Austria, from Eastern Europe to Kentucky. All are performed with precision and aplomb by Norbert Meyn's team of young singers and pianists".

Roger Vignoles, Prince Consort Professor at the Royal College of Music.
"Exceptional voices from across the world - some outstanding new talents."
Opera Now, Nov. 06, concert review

"These songs were systematically collected and performed at a time of extreme divisions and distress in Europe, in vocal opposition to terror and war and as a sign of unbeatable hope and optimism. In the language of political analysts they constitute "soft power", superior to other manifestations of power in the long run, and more apt to bridge gaps separating human beings and nations. And this seems more necessary then ever."
Gabriele Matzner-Holzer, Austrian Ambassador in London, June 2006