Weill: Ofrah’s Songs for voice and piano

• In meinem Garten
• Nichts ist die Welt mir
• Er sah mir liebend in die Augen
• Denkst du des kühnen Flugs der Nacht
• Nur dir fürwahr, mein stolzer Aar

„Ofrah’s Songs“ are an exciting discovery for friends of Weill: What all the world has in common with Weill is not to be found here; instead, a love rush and an emotionally moving music from the high romanticism is written down. Weill cultivated this style between the ages of 14 and 16 when he composed „Ofrah’s Songs“ based on words of the Sephardic philosopher Jehuda Halevi, which Weill himself translated. Weill’s former colleague Lys Symonette identified an „embryonic presence of a real composer“ in the songs: she may have related that to the later Weill, whose style is already evident in some bars. But taken for themselves, the songs are „really composed“. They have original, albeit conservative motifs, well-thought-out harmony, and an elaborate piano setting: „Ofrah’s Songs“ are not only a Weill rarity but are thoroughly suitable for concerts at any time.

The drafts for the works were discovered in 1983 first; two years later, the definitive scores were found. So far, the songs have only been available as a performing manuscript. The publisher is pleased to be making them available in an engraved form for the first time with this edition.