Would it not be exciting to visit a concert with Schubert and Schumann lieder on the programme without knowing what to expect!?!
Familiar songs, new arrangements and improvisation.
The original vocal part of a Schumann lied or a song by Manuel de Falla is accompanied here by an arrangement for jazz ensemble whose transparent sound tableau gives the impression that the original version has gained another dimension; like a two-dimensional picture suddenly becoming three-dimensional.
The point of this idea is not simply to jazz up and thereby alter the entire character of a piece of classical music but rather to use its inherent nature, its essence as it were, as the basis for adaptation and improvisation.
In fact exactly the same thing happens in jazz with the so-called standards: the same song undergoes through ever-varying instrumentation and arrangements an evolution that is parallel to the music, its styles and musical personalities. We have tried on this album in the area of the classical lied to take a first step in this direction and hope that this music will be an exciting listening experience for classical and jazz listeners alike.
My own composition Auf Erden und im Paradies is to be seen as a natural consequence of the experience gained from the arrangement of all the songs. What was more appropriate than to use and develop this in a new composition for classical voice and jazz ensemble?
The origin of this project can be traced back to the time when Erika and I met each other in New York. Right from the beginning there were all sorts of opportunities to accompany Erika on the piano. Whether it was a song from a Broadway musical which we were rehearsing or folk music from Erikašs native Mexico, I found myself seldom able to restrain my fingers from introducing at least a few alterations in the piano part.
The idea of a deliberate synthesis of classical lied and jazz occurred somewhat later while I was studying composition at the Manhattan School of Music. During a History of Music lecture we compared Goethešs poem Kennst du das Land in three different settings by Schubert, Schumann and Wolf. Listening to the Schumann version it suddenly occurred to me how a jazz ensemble might accompany this lied. This idea continued to fascinate me even though it would take a few more years before its realisation.
Of significance too was an experience which Erika and I had some time later in Spanish Harlem at a party of our friend Mark Brown, the bassist in my quintet: while we were performing a few of the songs from Manuel de Fallas Siete canciones populares Espanoles Mark joined in with his bass on Nana. This inspired an extended improvisation on my part until Erika with her lyrical soprano voice returned at the end with the original theme.
The idea for the Das Lied project was then finally born. From that moment on I continually searched for suitable lieder and songs.
Meanwhile things have again long since moved on: it has been some time since we lived in New York. In Berlin we have finally found opportunites and the time to realise our ideas.
We have encountered old friends: Kai Schönburg, my soul mate and drummer from my student days at the Cologne School of Music (among other recordings Kai is featured on my first CD About Time) and Dirk Strakhof with whom I visited concerts and played at jam sessions in New York. After convincing our producer Rainer Wiedensohler of this project and the recording date had been fixed only one member then was missing to complete the family: David Heintz. Our friendship goes back to my first musical experiments, beginning with my first band Call, through our studying together in Cologne, right up to mine and Erikašs wedding in Mexico.
Rarely have I experienced a recording date that was so relaxed and pervaded with such mutual trust as this one.
Tim Sund, Berlin, July 1999