It was the outstanding American mezzo-soprano-cum-composer, Cathey Berberian, who provided the inspiration for a novel collection of folk song settings from the pen of Luciano Berio. Berberian, who was married to the composer, was noted for her unique virtuosity, keen musical intelligence, perfect pitch and three-octave vocal range. These settings were made by the composer as “a tribute to the extraordinary artistry” of his wife.
The word pribaoutki, Stravinsky once explained, “denotes a form of popular Russian verse, to which the nearest English parallel is the limerick. Pribaoutki are always short – not more than four lines usually.”
“The Minneleider”, Schafer explains, “were written in 1956 while I was studying German in Vienna. The texts are in Middle-High German by Minnesinger from the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries, and they speak mostly of passionate but unfulfilled love (Minne = love).”
LUCIANO BERIO
1-11. Folk songs
IGOR STRAVINSKY
12-15. Pribaoutki
R. MURRAY SCHAFER
16-28. Minnelieder
