Philip Herschkowitz (1906 – 1989)
The scores of the songs of Philip Herschkowitz can be viewed in the Wienbibliothek im Rathaus in Vienna and copies can be requested on-site.
Wienbibliothek im Rathaus, City Hall, staircase 8, 1010 Vienna, www.wienbibliothek.at
Mag. Dr. Wolfgang Straub, head of manuscripts, music and bequests, wolfgang.straub@wienbibliothek.at
Vier Lieder (1962)
Paul Celan (1920 – 1970)
Schlaf und Speise (sleep and nourishment)
Der uns die Stunden zählte (he who counted the hours for us)
Espenbaum (aspen tree)
Leuchten (shine)
In Vier Lieder (four songs) and Brandmal (stigma) Herschkowitz sets poems by Paul Celan to music with remarkable differentiation. With his music Herschkowitz manages to avoid interpretation and yet to give the poems a tangible dimension.
Brandmal
Paul Celan (1920 – 1970)
Wie des Mondes Abbild zittert (1932)
Heinrich Heine (1797 – 1856)
The early song by the 26 year-old composer to the poem of Heine Wie des Mondes Abbild zittert (as the moon’s reflection trembles) already shows his distinctive quality in dealing with compositional tools: through expressive rhythmical differentiation and striking independence between voice and piano Herschkowitz creates a tight, haunting psychogram.
Trei Lieduri – Drei Lieder (1965/66)
Ion Barbu (1895 – 1961)
Margini de seară (evening margins)
Grup (group)
Lemn sfînt (holy wood)
For Trei Lieduri Herschkowitz chose three poems by the Rumanian mathematician and writer Ion Barbu. The poems are complex impressions of light: bundling of light, light reflections and light as a geometric phenomenon ushering the viewer into the tableau. Barbu used techniques which he derived from the mathematical methodology, searched for the expression of the “world, which is refined up to the point, where it is only reflecting the shape of our spirit”. In terms of content as well as rhythm the compositions give the language a simple and meditative frame.