Decades ago, in an essay introducing an album of songs by American composers, I slant-quoted Otto Luening: “In a country where composers have written too many symphonies, their songs have been too little sung." “That’s because,” he would have added, “they don’t write enough of them.”
Otto’s aphorisms have stuck in the memories of his hundreds of students and uncounted friends and colleagues; they are still often heard, usually without attribution. Luening practiced what he preached: of his nearly 400 compositions, nearly 80 are songs, mostly with piano accompaniment, some with flute (which he played admirably) or chamber ensemble. There is but one symphony.
The thirty songs recorded here are representative of those Luening composed between 1917 and 1993. (Although their order is not chronological, their dates of composition are provided.) It was characteristically accommodating of Otto to have arranged for his birth in 1900, thereby simplifying the task of writers, readers, and listeners who might wish to compare his compositions with the course of musical developments in the 20th century. Because Luening was a contrarian, what he was doing stylistically was usually what most other composers were not doing at the time.
This title, originally issued on the CRI label, is now available as a burn-on-demand CD (CD-R) or download in MP3/320, FLAC or WAV formats. CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print booklet or jewel case included. Liner notes are accessible via the link above.
Songs of Otto Luening
| MP3/320 | $9.99 | |
| FLAC | $9.99 | |
| WAV | $9.99 | |
| CD-R | $9.99 |
A *.pdf of the notes may be accessed here free of charge.
Track Listing
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She walks in Beauty
Otto Luening
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Farm Picture
Otto Luening
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Little Vagabond
Otto Luening
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Young Love
Otto Luening
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Wake The serpent not
Otto Luening
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Requiescat
Otto Luening
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Venilia
Otto Luening
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Locations and Times
Otto Luening
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Noon Silence
Otto Luening
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Visor'd
Otto Luening
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Infant Joy
Otto Luening
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Good-night
Otto Luening
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I faint, I perish
Otto Luening
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Transience
Otto Luening
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At Christmas time
Otto Luening
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In Weihnachtszeiten
Otto Luening
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Ach! wer bringt die sch̦nen Tage
Otto Luening
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Songs of Emily Dickinson: Our share of night to bear
Otto Luening
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Songs of Emily Dickinson: "Hope" is the thing with feathers
Otto Luening
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Songs of Emily Dickinson: If I can stop one Heart from breaking
Otto Luening
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Songs of Emily Dickinson: Experiment to me
Otto Luening
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Songs of Emily Dickinson: I felt a Cleaving in my Mind
Otto Luening
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Songs of Emily Dickinson: Soul, Wilt thou toss again?
Otto Luening
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Songs of Emily Dickinson: When I hoped I feared
Otto Luening
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Love's Secret
Otto Luening
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Harp the Monarch Minstrel swept
Otto Luening
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Joyce Cycle: Strings in the earth and air
Otto Luening
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Joyce Cycle: When The shy star goes forth in heaven
Otto Luening
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Joyce Cycle: My love is in a light attire
Otto Luening
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Joyce Cycle: Sleep Now
Otto Luening
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