Leo Blech - April Orchestral Works Concert

[Justin]

On April 18th at 20:00 (GMT+2), the Aachen Symphony Orchestra with Christopher Ward will present a live-stream program which includes three pieces by Leo Blech:

Sechs Kinderlieder (Six Children's Songs), various opuses (1913-1924)
Wie ist doch die Erde so schön (How Beautiful the Earth is), op. 21 no. 8 (1913)
Ouvertüre zur Oper "Alpenkönig und Menschenfeind" (Overture to the opera "Alpine King and Misanthrope"), op. 14 (1903)

https://theateraachen.de/de_DE/sinfoniekonzert-im-stream

Tickets are 5, 10 or 15 euros, depending on how much you want to pay.

All of these works appear to be modern performance premieres, so this is something I am definitely looking forward to!

[Justin]

I didn't realize until today that Leo Blech wrote fifty children's songs, compiled and published in six volumes between 1913 and 1925.

As a body, they are known as "Fünfzig Liedchen: Kindern vorzusingen," or colloquially "Fifty Songs for Small and Big Folks."

The Aachen Symphony Orchestra compiled selections and presented them as "Six Children's Songs." Below is a list of all fifty songs, where the bold ones were performed in the April 18 concert:

First Group, op. 21 (1913)
Dedicated to my dear friend Emanuel Grab

1. Die bösen Beinchen (The Naughty Legs)
2. Wittewoll schlafen? (Will-oo-not Sleep?)
3. Mutiges Lied (Valiant Song)
4. Was fang' ich an? (What shall I do?)
5. Wiegenlied (Cradle Song)
ó. Mairegen (May Rain)
7. Heimkehr vom Feste (Return from the Banquet)
8. Wie ist doch die Erde so schön (How Beautiful the Earth is)

Second Group, op. 22 (1915)
To my dear children Liese and Wolfgang

1. Strampelchen (Little Fidget)
2. Kinderreim (Nursery Rhyme)
3. Annchens Himmelfahrt (Little Annie's Sky Trip)
4. Hänselein (Johnny)
5. Hasensalat (Rabbit Salad)
6. Spielende Kätzchen (Kittens at Play)
7. Die fünf Hühnerchen (The five Chicklings)
8. Frühlingsbotschaft (Call of Spring)

Third Group, op. 24 (1916)
To my dear sister

1. Wiegenlied (Lullaby)
2. Der Mutter vorzusingen (To be sung to Mother)
3. Tintenheinz und Plätscherlottchen (Inky Jimmy and Dripping Dolly)
4. Der Traum (The Dream)
5. Abendlied (Evening Song)
6. Frühlingsglocken (Spring Bells)
7. Kindergebet (A Child's Prayer)
8. Der Sandmann (The Sandman)

Fourth Group, op. 25 (1917)
To my dear Claire Dux

1. Ein kleines Lied (A little Song)
2. Wiegenlied im Herbst (Autumnal Cradle Song)
3. Matten Has (Martin, the Hare)
4. Wiegenlied (Lullaby)
s. Frühlingsspiel (Spring Delights)
6. Aus dem Walde (Forest Voices)
7. Herr Hahn und Fräulein Huhn (Hen and Rooster)
8. Die Mutter bei der Wiege (The Mother at the Cradle)

Fifth Group, op. 27 (1924)
Dedicated to my dear Vera Schwarz

1. Veilchen
2. Nur eine kleine Geige
3. Der Nachtigall Antwort
4. Frühlings Einmarsch
5. Wiegenlied im Frühling
6. Selbstgeständnis
7. Vorm Einschlafen
8. Ach, wenn ich doch ein Täublein wär'
9. Wiegenlied

Sixth Group, op. 28 (1925)
Dedicated to Elisabeth van Endert

1. Kakadu
2. Das Lied vom Monde
3. Reigen
4. Mauskätzchen
5. Die Kunst geht nach Brot
6. Wiegenlied
7. Widmung
8. Kurze Freude
9. Vergißmeinnicht