Customer Reviews

Don't Be Afraid - Songs By Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht & Hanns Eisler

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The Eastside Sinfonietta's "Don't Be Afraid," featuring the nuanced, cutting vocals of Weba Garretson, adds a (West Coast) American voice to the current of Weill and Eisler songs sung in English (and sung as they should be sung. ) In recent decades the Australian Robyn Archer and the German Dagmar Krause have released wonderful CDs in English, to add to Gisela May's benchmark German language recordings. This recording belongs in that exalted league, recreating these songs, forcing them to full and bitter flowering once again for this century and this generation of listeners. The musical interpretations here grow out of an avant garde/club scene sensibility. There are other ways to do this music, but this approach tends to strip off the cloying nostagia which sometimes comes with Weimar era music, nostalgia which is in truth completely opposed to the spirit of Brecht's words, and Eisler's and Weill's music. One has to hope that Ms. Garretson and the Eastside Sinfonietta of Los Angeles will attempt an album devoted exclusively to Hanns Eisler's powerful songs -- so little known by American singers and audiences.

One has reason to fear the too well traveled Weil/Brecht musical terrain. It' s been trampled to death with second rate homages. So it was with a jolt of excitement and welcome surprise that I experienced the Don't' Be Afraid album. The Eastside Sinfonietta, and the remarkable Weba Garretson, have infused the repertoire (plus the happy inclusion of Hanss Eisler pieces) with a fresh and inspired take on the songs. The extremely gifted ensemble performs the difficult trick of channeling the Weimar standards so that they are born again with a rare clarity and contemporary impact. Weba Garretson dazzles with her version of Youkali Tango and personalizes all the favorites that had lost their impact until she came along. This CD is a fearsome experience. Don't hesitate for a minute. Enjoy!

I second the comments of the previous review--Weba Garretson's "Youkeli Tango" is remarkably beautiful. The whole cd is terrific, with the orchestrations contributing what amounts to half of a spectacular duet.

i feel that brechts style of lyrical flow could not have been more distantly branded as ok