Die schönen Augen der Frühlingsnacht

Theodor Kirchner (1823-1903) began composing at a very early age, initially receiving great support from Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann and subsequently from Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms. Even his Lieder op. 1 already display a clear formal structure, the concentration of tonal material within a limited space and rhythmic variability. I have selected six lieder based on poems by Heinrich Heine originating from different periods of Kirchner’s life and interleaved them between seven bagatelles which make selective references to the previous or next lied, sometimes as a single note, a chord or a gesture. The Sieben Bagatellen can additionally be performed separately, independently of the complete cycle. (Aribert Reimann)