A folk song from the 16 th century “Sie gleicht wohl einem Rosenstock” inspired Herder & Goethe to write that poem. "Rösgen auf der Hayde" was set to music over 80 times.
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You will hear poems by Goethe on this album, which were set to music by composers of his time. These compositions are partly unpublished, rarely performed or sometimes even known. It is our ambition to rediscover those wonderful musical treasures for the public, to make it accessible and audible for everyone and, thus, prevent them from being forgotten.
Goethe knew all of the composers who are on this album and was amicably connected with all of them – sometimes more, sometimes less. Goethe’s and Ludwig van Beethoven’s (1770-1827) relationship was not always defined by sympathy; but the ladies of society were able to bring the two of them together which led to a
very prolific collaboration.
Adolph von Vagedes (1777-1842) lived in Düsseldorf and worked as an architect and town planner. Composing was one of his hobbies. Johann Christoph Kienlen (1783-1829) dedicated several song collections to Goethe. Goethe helped Kienlen to get into employments. Goethe exchanged letters with Carl Ludwig Blum (1786-1844). Christian August Gabler lived from 1764 to 1839. Friedericke Oeser (1717-1829), daughter of Goethe’s drawing teacher Adam F. Oeser, was his comrade and adviser during his time in Leipzig. He left his oldest handwritten collection of songs and their melodies in her hands and still wrote in an amicable manner of candour and trust later on in his life. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) only set one of Goethe’s poems to music. But he left a much bigger heritage to Goethe: After Goethe had heard one of Mozart’s concerts, he decided – because he was so thrilled by the music – that he would from now on
only write poems which were possible to set to music. Friedrich Freiherr von Dalberg (1760-1812) was one of Herders travel companions on his journey to Italy. Dalberg was surely one of the most fascinating characters of the so called “Goetheperiod”. Carl Friedrich Zelter (1758-1832) was befriended with Goethe over a period of 35 years. This friendship’s principle was quite easy to define: they respected and trusted one another, they both loved music and poetry – and they both had the ability to fire each other’s imagination.
Heinrich Werner’s (1800-1833) version of the “Heidenröslein” managed to become a popular folk song.
Let your own imagination and yourself be fired by us and enjoy your time with Goethe and us. Because you cannot look for a programme like that, no, you can only find it. Or you can be found by one.
