Zur Rosenzeit is a song Edward Grieg composed on poems of Goethe. 
Grieg composed 6 songs on German poems, opus 48.
This song is an excerpt of the program 'Romantic songs', with songs of Strauss, Schumann and Grieg.

Zur Rosenzeit

Dereinst Gedanke mein is the 2nd song of the cycle of 6 songs opus 48 composed by Edward Grieg. This song is composed on the poem of Emanuel Geibel. 
This song is an excerpt of the program 'Romantic songs', with songs of Strauss, Schumann and Grieg.

Dereinst Gedanke mein

The first song of opus 48 of Edvard Grieg is written on German poets. 
The song cycle is very dear to me. I love all the subtile colors in harmony Grieg gave to the songs. And every song in the cycle is a little 'painting' or scene, with it's own colors and character

Gruss - Edvard Grieg

One of my favourite French art songs, written by Reinaldo Hahn.

A Chloris

Live recording of the aria 'Et exultavit' of Bach's Magnificat BWV243.
Recorded in 2005 in led by Harm Jansen in the Basiliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ten-Hemelopneming, Zwolle, The Netherlands>

Magnificat bach concert 26 december 2005

Et exultavit - Magnificat J.S. Bach

Dido's Lament – When I am laid in earth, is one of my favorite opera's and aria's of all time. I heard this opera when I was 17 years old and just wanted to sing the title role.
And it's still one of my favourites...
Dido and Aeneas  is an opera in a prologue and three acts, written by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell with a libretto by Nahum Tate. The dates of the composition and first performance of the opera are uncertain. It was composed no later than July 1688 and had been performed at Josias Priest's girls' school in London by the end of 1689. The story is based on Book IV of Virgil's Aeneid. It recounts the love of Dido, Queen of Carthage, for the Trojan hero Aeneas, and her despair when he abandons her. 

Dido's lament: When I am laid in earth

“We grow accustomed to the dark” is a song written on the poem by poet Emily Dickinson, under
the same name. It’s an ode to those who are courageous enough to fight against injustice,
sometimes at the cost of their own lives, determent to bring change in this world.
The song was written the week after Navalny died for soprano, piano and fixed electronics (on
tape).
The poem was written around 1862 by the American poet Emily Dickinson. It speaks of the human
ability to survive and be resilient in times of hardship and uncertainty. It is a testament to human
courage and resilience. Just as people's eyes adjust to their new surroundings after turning off the
lights, people themselves will learn to find their way through dark times.
In this composition, the piano plays the first 5 notes of the Fugue from 'Le tombeau de Couperin'
by Maurice Ravel. These first 5 notes are the fundament of the pianopart. They develop
continuously, but always return to the first theme. The triplets represent stumbling and searching.
The soprano part is objective, almost detached. The electronics give fundament and develop into a
sense of threat. It symbolises the threat we can feel as humans in this modern world.
At “Either the darkness alters, or something in the sight”, light breaks through, by stopping the
piano theme and a key and color change. This stands for the courageous among us. Those who
think differently and respond, thereby inspiring others to follow and act.
The piano theme returns after this brief shift in key, as dark times revert.
Lucette van den Berg

We grow accustomed to the dark

'Allerseelen' was the first song of Richard Strauss I really loved. 
It's very poetic and honest and you can see and feel the person talking to his deceased loved one, being happy to have him/ her around, but knowing it's just imagination.
Strauss's music is open, soft, warm, expressive and gracious.
The piano part offers a singer the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the story.
A wonderful song to sing

Classical songs and arias

Allerseelen

A few years ago me and my pianist Gerard van Reenen, where preparing a program around 'romantic' composers. I asked my pianist to select a song, which he loved me to sing. This song was 'Die Nacht'. 
The song 'Die Nacht' is about the night that falls and takes all color away from everything around you.
It's a bit scary, also because you realize that your lover might fade into the night ...
I think my pianist selected the song very well for my voice. I think the song is just stunning!

Die Nacht

When I was a young girl, my parents bought a CD with lute songs of Henry Purcell, sung by Emma Kirby. 
I immediately fell in love Henry Purcell's songs and started to study them. 
The simplicity, richness and warmth of these songs makes each song a jewel and they are very nice to sing. 
The song Evening Hymn is not an exception: this song touches me deeply, as it takes us through the last thoughts of a person who is closing the door on a life well-lived.  What I find so extraordinary is the dramatic arc of this song, and how Purcell manages to build it atop the repetitive structure of a ground bass line.  Part of his genius is how he keeps the contours of the bass line, but modulates it in the middle section, which makes the harmony do wondrous things to highlight the text.  
I recorded this Evening Hymn for my parents.

Evening Hymn

Wonderful Sephardic song, with the same theme as 'Morenica'.
I arranged it for 3 women in a Medieval style.

Sephardic songs

Morena me Llaman

Morena Me Llaman

One of my favorite Mozart aria's is the aria "Laudamus te" of the mass in c minor. 
It's uplifting, energetic and a lot of fun to sing.

Lucette van den Berg

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