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What a Life

Music to the bilingual internment camp revue, Douglas, Isle of Man.
For middle voice(s), flute, clarinet, string quartet and piano
194035'

Overview

Movements

Einzugsmarsch (Entrance March), Das Lied vom Stacheldraht (Barbed Wire Song), Frauen Song (Women's Song), Die Ballade vom deutschen Refugee (The Ballad of the German Refugee), Entr'Acte, Die Ballade vom armen Jakob (The Ballad of Poor Jakob), Keep Fit, Qu

Other versions

Also as piano suite

Listen

What a Life! (Piano Suite)

Music Behind Barbed Wire — accompanying CD

Toccata Press · 2014

Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts)

From the CD included with the book.

  1. Suite for piano: 'What a Life!': i.Prelude1:00

    CD 1 · Track 17

  2. ii. Intermezzo1:00

    CD 1 · Track 18

  3. iii. Ballade1:00

    CD 1 · Track 19

  4. iv. 'Jolly March'1:00

    CD 1 · Track 20

What a Life! — music from the revue

Music Behind Barbed Wire — accompanying CD · recorded 2000

Toccata Press · 2014

From the CD included with the book.

  1. Music from the camp revue 'What a Life!': Einzugsmarsch1:00

    CD 1 · Track 5 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Katalin Kertész and Charlotte Edwards (violins); Andrew Byrt (viola); Peter Freyhan (cello); Raffaelo Orlando (clarinet); Edward Beckett (flute)

  2. Der Song vom Stacheldraht1:00

    CD 1 · Track 6 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Thomas Guthrie (baritone); Norbert Meyn (tenor); Edward Beckett (flute)

  3. Frauen-Song1:00

    CD 1 · Track 7 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Norbert Meyn (tenor); Katalin Kertész (violin)

  4. Die Ballade vom deutschen Refugee1:00

    CD 1 · Track 8 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Thomas Guthrie (baritone); Katalin Kertész (violin); Raffaelo Orlando (clarinet)

  5. Entr'acte1:00

    CD 1 · Track 9 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Katalin Kertész and Charlotte Edwards (violins); Andrew Byrt (viola); Peter Freyhan (cello); Raffaelo Orlando (clarinet); Edward Beckett (flute)

  6. 'Keep Fit'1:00

    CD 1 · Track 10 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Norbert Meyn (tenor)

  7. Quodlibet1:00

    CD 1 · Track 11 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Thomas Guthrie (baritone); Katalin Kertész and Charlotte Edwards (violins); Andrew Byrt (viola); Peter Freyhan (cello); Raffaelo Orlando (clarinet); Edward Beckett (flute)

  8. Besen-Song0:27

    CD 1 · Track 12 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Thomas Guthrie (baritone)

  9. Der Song vom Doppelbett1:00

    CD 1 · Track 13 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Raffaelo Orlando (clarinet); Thomas Guthrie (baritone)

  10. Serenade1:00

    CD 1 · Track 14 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Thomas Guthrie (baritone); Norbert Meyn (tenor); Katalin Kertész and Charlotte Edwards (violins); Andrew Byrt (viola); Peter Freyhan (cello); Raffaelo Orlando (clarinet); Edward Beckett (flute)

  11. Finale1:00

    CD 1 · Track 15 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Thomas Guthrie (baritone); Norbert Meyn (tenor); Katalin Kertész and Charlotte Edwards (violins); Andrew Byrt (viola); Peter Freyhan (cello); Raffaelo Orlando (clarinet); Edward Beckett (flute)

  12. The Ballade of Poor Jakob1:00

    CD 1 · Track 16 · Michael Freyhan (piano; reconstruction from the original manuscripts); Norbert Meyn (speaker)

Scores & texts

Publication & availability

Publisher
Unpublished
Availability
score and parts available privately

Read & keep

Download work details (PDF) ↓

Work information is separate from the performing score.

Performances

First performance

Full work - Douglas, Isle of Man, 1940
(Piano Suite: London, May. 1941)

Other performances

(Full work)
Washington D.C., May 2009
Vancouver, Oct. 2010
London, Royal College of Music, Sep. 2012
Schwerin, Sep. 2012
Strasbourg, Royal College of Music, Nov. 2013

(Piano Suite):
London, Sep. 1941
Glasgow, Jun. 1941
Edinburgh, Oct. 1941, Nov. 1941