Kurt Weill and Bertold Brecht

Posted by: mikeeschman on 20 December 2009

In my LP days, I bought a lot of music so we would have a complete catalog of things. I would go out and find a copy of something, because it came up in something I was reading.

Here comes Weill and Brecht. They were socially conscience German liberals of the '20s, who had to flee Germany for Paris after the 1933 book burnings. On arrival in Paris, their first commission was "The Seven Deadly Sins of Ordinary People", a cantata about a young girl from Louisiana making her way through the great cities of America.

The libretto is full of all sorts of political horseshit, but as it's in German, and I didn't look, I don't have a clue what is being sung, but I get the emotion of it.

I found an LP of this work by Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra on EMI/Angel Digital, in the archives.

The playing is so good, it actually draws you in so you can hear the music in it.

It is a refreshing look back on another time, sounds so so 20s, hearing one of the best one-trick ponies of the day.

Recommended for collectors ...
Posted on: 20 December 2009 by Voltaire
Brecht influenced my favorite band of all time...The Doors

quote:
"Alabama Song" was originally written and composed by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill for their opera Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny);
Posted on: 20 December 2009 by Andy1912
I saw Marianne Faithful on her tour where she sung a lot of that stuff. It was a small venue and she was in charismatic form - good gig. Got the CD somewhere, although my favourite track was Don't Forget Me by the also great Harry Nilsson.
Posted on: 21 December 2009 by MilesSmiles
quote:
Originally posted by mikeeschman:
They were socially conscience German liberals of the '20s, ...


As much as I like the works of Weil and Brecht, I do have to disagree with your assessment of Brecht.

Brecht was a Marxist to the day he died. He moved to communist East Germany and even in the face of the bloody uprising in East Germany supported the party and the crushing of the uprising. Only after his death one of his famous poems was published which reflected on the uprising:

After the uprising of the 17th of June
The Secretary of the Writers Union
Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee
Stating that the people
Had thrown away the confidence of the government
And could win it back only
By redoubled efforts. Would it not be easier
In that case for the government
To dissolve the people
And elect another?


His contribution especially to theater are tremendous but it is difficult for me to see the work and not the man - a kinder soul might say he just got caught up in the cold war.
Posted on: 23 December 2009 by El Guapo
I think the best interpretations of Brecht and Weill (and Brecht and Eisler) for that matter are by Dagmar Krause and Ute Lemper. Lotte Lenya is surprisingly not that great. Dave Van Ronk did some that were quite good, the Happy End were fun and raucuous and Frankie Armstrong did an album that was OK. Robyn Archer is pretty good as well. There used to be an Italian iumport on vinyl that had original cast versions and even some songs, including Mac the Knife sung by Brecht with him on guitar.
I always liked Ella Fitgerald's versin of Mac the knife
Posted on: 23 December 2009 by El Guapo
quote:
Originally posted by MilesSmiles:

His contribution especially to theater are tremendous but it is difficult for me to see the work and not the man - a kinder soul might say he just got caught up in the cold war.

Does it really matter - he was a great playwright, ok novelist, ok poet and he wrote some great songs with Kurt Weill and Hans Esler. His output was great - I don't really care what his politics was
Posted on: 23 December 2009 by MilesSmiles
quote:
Originally posted by El Guapo:
quote:
Originally posted by MilesSmiles:

His contribution especially to theater are tremendous but it is difficult for me to see the work and not the man - a kinder soul might say he just got caught up in the cold war.

Does it really matter - he was a great playwright, ok novelist, ok poet and he wrote some great songs with Kurt Weill and Hans Esler. His output was great - I don't really care what his politics was


I do enjoy his works but if at the heart of your work is a social / political message you have to look at the man as well - as they say, action speaks louder than words.
Posted on: 23 December 2009 by mikeeschman
quote:
Originally posted by MilesSmiles:
I do enjoy his works but if at the heart of your work is a social / political message you have to look at the man as well - as they say, action speaks louder than words.


In the case of Kurt Weill, the action is to write and perform music, and the social elements of his text are settings for an entertainment.
Posted on: 23 December 2009 by El Guapo
quote:
Originally posted by MilesSmiles:
I do enjoy his works but if at the heart of your work is a social / political message you have to look at the man as well - as they say, action speaks louder than words.


Well yes you're right. It is interesting to look at the man behind the work. And Brecht, Weill and Eisler are interesting characters. I don't think the beliefs of the artist would stop me enjoying their work. Fortunately Hitler wasn't very good as a painter, otherwise that idea would be tested
Posted on: 24 December 2009 by MilesSmiles
quote:
Originally posted by mikeeschman:

In the case of Kurt Weill, the action is to write and perform music, and the social elements of his text are settings for an entertainment.


I agree, I don't lump Weill and Brecht together.
Posted on: 24 December 2009 by MilesSmiles
quote:
Originally posted by El Guapo:
Fortunately Hitler wasn't very good as a painter, otherwise that idea would be tested


You don't have to go as far as Hitler (fortunately he was a really mediocre painter).

Take Leni Riefenstahl, an amazingly innovative filmmaker, unfortunately she used her talent for Nazi propagand films.
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by El Guapo
quote:
Originally posted by MilesSmiles:


Take Leni Riefenstahl, an amazingly innovative filmmaker, unfortunately she used her talent for Nazi propagand films.


Now she was a genius
Posted on: 28 December 2009 by mikeeschman
quote:
Originally posted by El Guapo:
quote:
Originally posted by MilesSmiles:


Take Leni Riefenstahl, an amazingly innovative filmmaker, unfortunately she used her talent for Nazi propagand films.


Now she was a genius


Not. Trite movies with creepy subject matter.