Drawing by Else Lasker-Schüler with dedication and thanks to the composer, Municipal Library Leipzig

Wilhelm Rettich was born in Leipzig in 1892, and was a student of Max Reger. His career as Kapellmeister, composer and conductor, was frequently interrupted by war and persecution. His compositions include many works of chamber and symphonic music, compositions for Choir, as well as hundreds of Lieder. Rettich organized 26 Lieder of Else Lasker-Schüler into a cyclical form and set them to music during 1923-1928. The poetess thanked him for this with a drawing accompanied by a personal dedication. The manuscript of this work was discovered in the Archive of the National Library of Jerusalem, and the Israeli artists Michal Shamir and Vag Papian interpret it here in a highly moving manner. This CD is the first production worldwide of a significant work by Wilhelm Rettich.