Temptation, prohibition, good, evil... 'how relevant are these in today's world?' asks Benjamin Appl. With the complicity of pianist James Baillieu, we are taken on a musical arc from simple folk songs through to the great song composers such as Schubert, Schumann and Wolf, along the way visiting the Impressionists Debussy and Poulenc, exploring 'new objectivity' with Weill and Eisler and enjoying compositions by Casucci, Heggie and others. The metaphor of forbidden fruit gives Benjamin and James a wide range of possible interpretations. Whilst some of the song settings centre on sensuality, others focus on socially immoral topics such as incest or sensitive subjects such as abortion. The German baritone embodies each of these stories with a passion and dramatic sense that makes this album a kaleidoscopic and astonishing journey through time and space.
1 Bible-Genesis. the Lord God Had Planted a Garden in Eden
2 Bible-Genesis. the Lord God Took the Man and Put Him in the Garden of Eden
3 Bible-Genesis. It Is Good for the Man to Be Alone
4 Bible-Genesis. Gardens of Pleasure
5 Bible-Genesis. Adam and His Wife Were Both Naked, and They Felt No Shame
6 Bible-Genesis. And They Became One Flesh
7 Bible-Genesis. You're Free to Eat from Any Tree in the Garden
8 Fruit of the Tree Was Pleasing to the Eye / Just a Gigolo
9 Bible-Genesis. Now the Serpent Was More Crafty Than Any of the Wild Animals
10 Bible-Genesis. But of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil You Shall Not Eat
11 Bible-Genesis. You Will Be Like God, Knowing Good and Evil
12 She Took of It's Fruit and Ate / Kann Denn Liebe Sünde Sein
13 Bible-Genesis. the Eyes of Both of Them Were Opened
14 Bible-Genesis. the Serpent Tricked Me, and I Ate
15 Bible-Genesis. He Placed Cherubim to Guard the Way to the Tree of Life
Temptation, prohibition, good, evil... 'how relevant are these in today's world?' asks Benjamin Appl. With the complicity of pianist James Baillieu, we are taken on a musical arc from simple folk songs through to the great song composers such as Schubert, Schumann and Wolf, along the way visiting the Impressionists Debussy and Poulenc, exploring 'new objectivity' with Weill and Eisler and enjoying compositions by Casucci, Heggie and others. The metaphor of forbidden fruit gives Benjamin and James a wide range of possible interpretations. Whilst some of the song settings centre on sensuality, others focus on socially immoral topics such as incest or sensitive subjects such as abortion. The German baritone embodies each of these stories with a passion and dramatic sense that makes this album a kaleidoscopic and astonishing journey through time and space.
