Austrian lyric baritone Wolfgang Holzmair is consistently

acclaimed for his uncommon sensitivity to text, in addition to

the intelligence and dramatic urgency with which he employs 

a voice of rare refinement and beauty. Widely credited with

helping to revive the intimate art of the song recital on this

continent, Holzmair has been invited to perform at New York’s

Alice Tully Hall, the Frick Collection, and The Metropolitan

Museum ofArt. Much in demand in other cities, as well, he has

performed in Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Fort Worth, Houston,

Los Angeles, Louisville, Philadelphia, and Washington. His

current United States tour includes, in addition to this recital,

the distinguished “New York Festival of Song” series with

pianist Steven Blier and mezzo-soprano Petra Lang. Holzmair

graduated with a degree in economics from the University

of Vienna, and subsequently began the study of singing at

the Vienna Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. Under

exclusive contract to Philips Classics, Holzmair has recently

recorded Beethoven’s Folk Songs with Trio Fontenay and Ernst

Krenek’s Reisebuch aus den Osterreichischen Alpen. He appears at

the National Gallery by arrangement with Matthew Sprizzo of

Staten Island, New York.

Pianist Steven Blier enjoys an eminent career as an accompanist and vocal coach. Among the many artists with whom 

he has appeared in recital are Samuel Ramey, Lorraine Hunt,

Susan Graham, Frederica von Stade, Kurt Ollmann, William

Sharp, Suzanne Mentzer, Dwayne Croft, Roberta Peters, and

Arlene Auger. Blier’s collaboration with soprano Cecilia Bartoli,

begun in 1994, continued last season with an appearance at 

Carnegie Hall. The 1999-2000 season began with new recital

collaborations with soprano Renee Fleming and bass Samuel 

Ramey, and continues with the current series of recitals with

Wolfgang Holzmair. Blier’s discography includes the premiere

recording of Leonard Bernstein’s Arias and Barcaroles (Koch

International), winner of a Grammy Award; and the songs of

Charles Ives with baritone William Sharp (Albany Records).

Steven Blier is on the faculty of the Juilliard School of Music, 

and his insights on opera are regularly featured in Opera News

and in the intermission conversations of the Metropolitan

Opera broadcasts.

Program notes by Elmer Booze

The Fifty-eighth season of

THE WILLIAM NELSON CROMWELL and

F. LAMMOT BELIN CONCERTS

National Gallery ofArt

2331th Concert

WOLFGANG HOLZMAIR, baritone

STEVEN BLIER, pianist

Sunday Evening, 20 February 2000

at Seven O’clock

West Building, West Garden Court

Admissionfree
PROGRAM

“Whither Must I Wander?”

(The audience is requested to withhold applause

until the end of each group of songs,

as indicated by the Roman numerals.)

I

Franz Schubert Das Wandern

(1797-1828) from Die schone Miillerin, D. 795

Der Wanderer an den Mond, D. 870

Der Wanderer, D 649

Der Pilgrim, D. 794

Gustav Mahler from Songs of a Wayfarer

(1860-1911) (1883-1885)

Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht

Ging heut morgen iibers Feld

II

Ralph Vaughan Williams from Songs of Travel

(1872-1958) (1904)

No. 1: The Vagabond

No.2: Let Beauty Awake

No.3: The Roadside Fire 

No.4: Youth and Love

No.5: Whither Must I Wander

No.9: I Have Trod the Upward and

the Downward Slope

INTERMISSION

Hugo Wolf 

(1860-1903)

III

FuBreise

Auf einer Wanderung

IV

Ernst Krenek from Reisebuch aus

(1900-1991) den Osterreichischen Alpen

(1935)

No.l: Motiv

No.4: Wetter

No.7: Regentag

No.8: Unser Wein

No. 10: Auf und Ab

No.15: HeiBer Tag am See 

No. 17: Ausblick nach Siiden

No.19: Heimkehr

Franz Schubert Im Walde, D. 834

Wanderers Nachtlied, D. 768

Abschied,/hwz Schwanengesang, D. 957

Forthe convenience ofconcertgoers

the Garden Cafe remains open until 6:30p.m.

The use ofcameras or recording equipment

during theperformance is not allowed.

During the months ofFebruary andMarch, recentperformances

by the National Gallery Orchestra can be heard on Wednesdays at 9:00p.m.

on WETA-FM, 90.9.

Selectionsfrom concerts at the Gallery can be heard on the second Sunday of

each month at 9:00p.m. on WGMS-FM, 103.5.