Christel Nies – Die Landschaft in Meiner Stimme (2005)

Considering the subtitle of this album is “Komponistinnen und Ihr Werk” (Women composers and their work), and that it was the title track I personally liked best – no. 14, “Die Landschaft in Meiner Stimme” - I might conclude I somehow missed the point? Namely, that track is composed by a man…the only male composer on this compilation. But then, what could be the deeper meaning behind an album’s name referring to that man, when it aims to bring the works of his female colleagues? Why did they include a male composer in the first place?

I guess I’m worrying too much. As did Klaus Hinrich Stahmer, said male composer, for the voices in his work sound like those of witches or elves from some magic fairy land, whereas the remaining tracks present us with woman as we (should) know her: an ordinary human being of flesh and blood.

Aha! Now we’re getting somewhere. So, I ask again: why did they include a male composer on this recording…?

Tracks:

01. Betsy Jolas - Caprice à une voix (1975) [0:06:44.00]
02. Viera Janarcekova - Am Anfang der Düsternis (1998) [0:10:18.00]
03. Violeta Dinescu - Et veniens veni (2002) [0:03:25.00]
04. Violeta Dinescu - Laus trinitati (2002) [0:03:46.00]
05. Violeta Dinescu - Nachtlied (2002) [0:03:27.00]
06. Jacqueline Fonteyn - Ku Soko (1990) [0:07:44.00]
07. Myriam Marbe - D´a cantare cantarellare (1995) [0:09:06.00]
08. Violeta Dinescu - Wie entzweit durch das Seil (1997) [0:08:39.00]
09. Sylva Smejkalova - Useless, useless the heavy Rain (1997) [0:01:29.00]
10. Sylva Smejkalova - The Rain has filled (1997) [0:01:21.00]
11. Sylva Smejkalova - The Taste of Rain (1997) [0:00:37.00]
12. Doina Rotaru - De Clocher À Clocher (2004) [0:08:19.00]
13. Sofia Gubaidulina - Aus den Visionen der Hildegard von Bingen (1994) [0:03:33.00]
14. Klaus Hinrich Stahmer - Die Landschaft in meiner Stimme (1978) [0:07:35.08]

Performers:

Christel Nies – voice
Hellmuth Vivell – piano
Bernhard Betzl – percussion
Otfrid Nies – violin
Almut Steinhausen – viola