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Show me the way to glory

Berg meets and marries the Viennese beauty Helene Nahowski.

At 21, Berg wrote to a friend: I hope that when I go out into the big wide world, I鈥檒l find an honourable, wonderful young woman who will be devoted to me and show me the way to glory. He soon met and married the beautiful Helene Nahowski. She was rumoured to be the illegitimate offspring of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph. From the outside, the Berg鈥檚 relationship looked ideal. There are 488 letters spanning their courtship and 28-year marriage which, on the surface, depict a loving, attentive, devoted partnership. But underneath the veneer lie years of hidden secrets.

Vielgeliebte schone Frau
Dietrich Fischer Dieskau, baritone
Aribert Reimann, piano

Seven Early Songs
Anne Sophie von Otter, mezzosoprano
Vienna Philharmonic
Claudio Abbado, conductor

Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, Op 5
Anthony Pay, clarinet
Daniel Barenboim, piano

Five Altenberg Lieder
Jessye Norman, soprano
London Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Boulez, conductor

Chamber Concerto for piano, violin and 13 wind instruments (Rondo)
Daniel Barenboim, piano
Pinchas Zukerman, violin
Ensemble InterContemporain
Pierre Boulez, conductor

Produced by Rosie Boulton for 大象传媒 Wales

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Alban Berg

    Vielgeliebte, schone Frau, Op 5 No 1

    Performer: Aribert Reimann. Singer: Dietrich Fischer鈥怐ieskau.
    • EMI 7635702.
    • EMI 7635702.
    • 16.
  • Alban Berg

    Seven Early Songs

    Performer: Anne Sophie Von Otter. Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • DG 4458462.
    • DG 4458462.
    • 1.
  • Alban Berg

    Four Pieces for clarinet and piano, Op 5

    Performer: Daniel Barenboim. Narrator: Anthony Payne.
    • DG 4232372.
    • DG 4232372.
    • 4.
  • Alban Berg

    Five Altenberg Lieder, Op 4

    Singer: Jessye Norman. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Sony SK66826.
    • Sony SK66826.
    • 8.
  • Alban Berg

    Chamber Concerto for violin, piano and 13 wind instruments (Rondo)

    Performer: Daniel Barenboim. Conductor: Pinchas Zukerman. Ensemble: Ensemble intercontemporain. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • DG 4232372.
    • DG 4232372.
    • 3.

Broadcast

  • Tue 16 Apr 2019 12:00

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