Lieder Laboratory

In this month's episode (our first Afrikaans-language conversation), mezzo-soprano Linette van der Merwe discusses Droomuur (Dream Hour), her album of art songs by Niel van der Watt. She elaborates on her deep-seated love of Afrikaans poetry, her upbringing in a musical family, and the joy that art song brings her.

She also talks about her close collaboration with composer Niel van der Watt in the interpretation of his works, and her career-long work with pianist Ferdi Geyer.

Linette is also the chairperson of the Wakkerstroom Music Festival, where this episode was recorded. She discusses the intricacies and challenges of presenting such a large endeavour.

Songs of the month:
Extracts from Droomuur
Linette van der Merwe - mezzo-soprano
Ferdi Geyer - pianist
Niel van der Watt - composer

In this month's episode, we exlore the debut album by our very own podcaster and baritone, Chris Vale. He recently recorded his brand new album entitled "Come Away" with pianist, Eugene Joubert. The album features art songs based on poetry by William Shakespeare. The famous "Let us Garlands bring" by Gerald Finzi is complimented by new works by South African composer, Franco Prinsloo. The debut recording of Prinsloo's cycles "Come to Dust" and "Love's Answer" feature famous poems by Shakespeare like "Sonnet 18 (Shall I compare thee to a summer's day)", "Fear no more the heat o' the sun", "Sonnet 27 (Weary with toil)" as well as two texts from the Passionate Pilgrim. 

Work of the month: Excerpts from "Let us garlands bring" by Gerald Finzi and excerpts from "Come to Dust" and "Love's Answer" by Franco Prinsloo.
Poetry by William Shakespeare

Performers: Chris Vale, baritone. Eugene Joubert, pianist. 

Podcast produced by:
Franco Prinsloo
Chris Vale
Marelize Hattingh

This month's episode is an exploration of a newly composed song cycle by Marieke de Koker and Valentine Kizito. They discuss how they met via Facebook and process by which they collaborated to create this work. The episode includes several extracts from the song cycle integrated in an entirely new format. The pianist is Laetitia Orlandi. 

Work of the month: Never Again, composed by Marieke de Koker. Poetry by Valentine Kizito. 
Performers: Marieke de Koker, Soprano & Laetitia Orlandi, Pianist. 

Podcast produced by:
Franco Prinsloo
Chris Vale
Marelize Hattingh

In our latest episode, Prof Conroy Cupido, Associate Professor in Opera and Singing at North West University, discusses vocal pedagogy, specifically in relation to art song. This very special episode also features the singing one of Prof Cupido's students, soprano Khayakazi Madlala. She performs a rendition of Après un rêve by French composer Gabriel Faure.

Prof Cupido also delights us with his rendition of Richard Strauss's Cäcilie, performed when he was still a student at Michigan State University.

Produced by:
Franco Prinsloo
Marilize Hattingh
Chris Vale

In our latest podcast, renowned composer Hendrik Hofmeyr shares his views on the art song, vocal music, as well as an interesting discussion on opera and libretto writing. Hofmeyr is one of South Africa's most prolific composers, having written several operas, scores of art songs, and a plethora of instrumental and orchestral works. In 1998, he won the Nederburg Opera Prize for his opera, The Fall of the House of Usher.

He also discusses the song “Kinderland” from his song cycle Alleenstryd. It is a setting of poetry by S.V. Peterson, the first person of colour to have work published in the Afrikaans language.

Song of the month:
Alleenstryd: "Kinderland"
Composed by: Hendrik Hofmeyr
Performed by: Andre Howard -baritone; Hendrik Hofmeyr - piano

Produced by:
Franco Prinsloo
Marilize Hattingh
Chris Vale

Sound engineer:
Kobus Ras

The poem can be found below in the original Afrikaans and an English translation:

Kinderland - S. V. Petersen

Sou daar in my wonderland soms nog 
kinders kaalvoet klouter opdraand teen die 
taaibosrand?

Pluk hulle bessies, skilpadbessies
donkerrooies, bruines, geles, nou nog in
my kinderland?

Geur dit nog van peperbossies en renoster
- waar die aarder ooplê teen die
hemelrand?

Hoe verleë dool ons dikwels mymerend
deur die verre strate moeg van die stad en
stadskoerant;

Hunderend tussen die skare, eenling,
eensaam in ons wese, ver van die huis en
kinderland!

Land of Children

Would there still be any children in my
wonderland, sometimes clambering
barefoot uphill against the Rhus verge?

Would they still pick berries, dark red ones,
brown ones, yellow ones in my
wonderland?

Does the aroma of pepperbushes and 
rhinoceros bushes still linger - where the
earth lies under the open sky?

How deprived we often wander, musing,
down the distant road, tired of the city and
the daily newspapers;

Longing for, alone amongst the the crowds,
lonely in our innermost being, far from
home and wonderland!

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

In Lieder Laboratory's debut episode, Chris Vale (baritone), Marilize Hattingh (soprano), and Franco Prinsloo (composer) tell us more about who they are, what led them to lieder, and what made them launch Lieder Laboratory.

A lively discussion about what lieder is leads to a deeper understanding of why this art form is important to the rich musical heritage of western art music, but more importantly, of South African art music.

We also announce our call for scores for all South African composers interested in creating art songs.

Lied of the month: 
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" by Franco Prinsloo, words by William Shakespeare
Sung by Chris Vale
Accompanied by Ben Schoeman
Recording by Alli Heyns

Edited and mastered by Kobus Ras