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The Song of Songs, The Poet in Exile: Works by Walter Arlen

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Walter Arlen
The Song of Songs
The Poet in Exile

World Premiere Recordings

Anna Huntley, mezzo soprano
Gwilym Bowen, tenor
Thomas Mole, baritone

English Symphony Orchestra
BBC Women’s Chorus of Wales, choir

Kenneth Woods, conductor

Arlen was a Jewish composer, originally from Austria who escaped Hitler’s invasion into Vienna. His family was persecuted, and lots of his family were murdered or committed suicide as a result of the holocaust, which inspired a lot of his compositional writing. When he escaped to the US where he lived with family friends, Arlen entered songs in a competition, winning first prize. This allowed him to live, study and work as amanuensis with Roy Harris. Through Harris he was introduced to famous composers of the day (such as Schoenberg, Mahler etc) and wrote for the Los Angeles Times as music reviewer for many years before committing to his own compositional works, both of whom have had additions made by conductor Kenneth Woods, with Arlen’s permission.

“Really fine contributions from the three soloists…this is well worth investigating” – Gramophone

“This is an inspired score, in which the three soloists give off an extraordinary aura: the sumptuous voice of Thomas Mole, the elegant voice of mezzo-soprano Anna Huntley and the fleshiness of tenor Gwilym Bowen’s voice. At the head of the extraordinary English orchestra and the magnificent voices of the women in the chorus, there is Kenneth Woods, an erudite and affable conductor who creates welcoming sound environments – instrumental and vocal.” – Sonograma

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