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OSKAR FRIED (1871-1941)
Verklärte Nacht / Transfigured Night
(Text: Richard Dehmel)
for mezzo-soprano, tenor and orchestra
Fantasy about „Hänsel und Gretel“ (Engelbert Humperdinck)
Prelude and Fugue for string orchestra op.10
SALOME KAMMER, Sprecherin · KATHARINA KAMMERLOHER, mezzo-soprano STEPHAN RÜGAMER, tenor · RUNDFUNK-SINFONIEORCHESTER BERLIN MATTHIAS FOREMNY
„Ein sehr origineller und eigenartiger Patron“ (Gustav Mahler)
Heute wissen selbst viele Musikfreunde nicht mehr wer dieser Oskar Fried war. Ein Jahrhundert zuvor stellte sich die Situation ganz anders dar: 1904 über Nacht berühmt geworden durch die Uraufführung seines „Trunkenen Liedes“ (nach Nietzsches „Zarathustra“) mit den Berliner Philharmonikern unter Karl Muck, stand darauf vor allem seine Dirigentenkarriere im Mittelpunkt des Interesses. Gustav Mahler übertrug Ihm 1905 eine Aufführung seiner 2. Symphonie in Berlin, die den Komponisten sehr beeindruckte. Beide waren seitdem befreundet und Fried
gehörte zu den frühen Vorkämpfern Mahlers, leitete 1924 sogar die erste Gesamtaufnahme einer Mahler Symphonie (erneut die Zweite, mit dem Orchester der Berliner Staatsoper). In Bezug auf den Komponisten sprach man gar von einem ganz eigenen, auf suggestive Massenwirkungen zielenden „Fried Stil“.
„A very unique and peculiar patron” (Gustav Mahler)
Who was Oskar Fried? Even lovers of music might have troubles to answer that question nowadays. One century ago the situation was quite different. In 1904 Fried became famous almost overnight: with the premiere of his “Trunkenes Lied”, a monumental work for chorus and symphonic orchestra based on words taken from Nietsche’s “Zarathustra”. It was first performed by several choirs and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karl Muck in Berlin on the 15th of April. As a conductor Fried soon performed with the leading orchestras, especially as interpreter of the then modern music. In 1905 Gustav Mahler assigned to him the performance of his 2 Symphony in Berlin, which deeply impressed the composer and the two
men became friends. Fried was among the first to support Mahler’s music and in 1924 he was even in charge of the first complete recording of a Mahler Symphony (number two again, with the orchestra of the Berliner Staatsoper). In matters of his own compositions – his “Verklärte Nacht” and “Erntelied” premiered in 1905 and 1909 respectively -one even started talking of a distinctive “Fried-Style”, focused on suggestive mass effect.
