In the second episode of Lieder Laboratory, Pieter Bezuidenhout, composer, discusses his approach to composing art song, choral music, and music in general. In a lively discussion, Franco Prinsloo and Chris Vale ask Pieter about writing for voice and harp, setting the poetry of Breyten Breytenbach, and the art of capturing the idiomatic inflection specific to languages within the context of vocal music.

Pieter Bezuidenhout is an award-winning South African composer and conductor. He is well-known for his contemporary classical compositions, includingThe Blue Lady Sonata for clarinet and piano, and his song cycle for soprano and piano, Huis van die Dowes (House of the Deaf).

The song featured in this month's podcast is entitled "D'apres Wang Wei", which is the setting of the poem of the same name by Breyten Breytenbach. The poem was written during Breytenbach's exile from South Africa during the apartheid regime. The title refers to  Wang Wei, the famous Tang dynasty poet and artist, who was known as a master of the jueju, or Chinese quatrain.

Song of the month:
Huis van die Dowes: "D'apres Wang Wei"
Composed by: Pieter Bezuidenhout
Performed by: Magdalene Minnaar - soprano; Maryke Johnson - piano

Produced by:
Franco Prinsloo
Marilize Hattingh
Chris Vale