Album Notes :

Max Kowalski(1882-1956) was born in Kowal, Poland. His family moved the next year to Frankfort, Germany, where he grew up, studied and earned Doctorates in both Music and Law (his specialty was Copyrights). His teacher of compostition was Bernhard Sekles and voice, Alexander Heineman. In Germany from 1913 till 1931, Max Kowalski was a prolific composer of beautiful lieder in the Romantic style. Although he was Jewish, Max Kowalski wrote music of all styles and genres, from Japanese, Chinese, Danish, Arabic, French and that of many great German authors, he even wrote a Marienlieder in his Opus 12. He was friend to many other composers, artists and performers and every song cycle he wrote was quickly published until Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich took over the country. In the late 30's Kowalski was very involved with the "Kulterbund" in Frankfort, Germany and his music continued to have popularity in their orchestral concerts. He is mentioned and highlighted by his presence at the last Kulturbund concert(1938) in Martin Goldsmith's book entitled "The Inextinguishable Symphony". By the end of 1938, Kowalski was arrested and spent time in Buchenwald but within a month he was released and he fled to England where he spent the rest of his life teaching voice, singing in a Synagogue and making a humble living. Although no music of his was ever published again, he kept writing new works, 17 new song cycles in manuscripts which singers performed in concerts and on radio. Opus 1 is his first composition dated 1913 and first published by Leukart in Germany. It had been out-of-print many years until Dr. Walter Foster of Recital Publications in Huntsville, Texas took up the committment to bring as many of Max Kowalski's song cycles to the public as possible. So far, 11 of his 17 previously published cycles have been reprinted.

A New Jersey native, Miss More has performed extensively throughout the United States and abroad. She has been soloist and has appeared in numerous operatic roles performing with the Festival Chorus of New Jersey, the Masterwork Chorus and Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Singers, the Plainfield Symphony, Ars Musica Antiqua, the Garden State Chorale, the State Repertory Opera, Jersey Lyric Opera, Choral Baccarelli (Sao Paulo, Brazil), the Academy of Vocal Arts Opera Theatre (Philadelphia, PA), Montclair Chamber Orchestra, and numerous others. In 1989, she was the award-winning collaborator along with composer Loretta Jankowski, of a song cycle entitled Phoenix, published internationally by Boosey & Hawkes, in December 1993. The work, featuring Ms. More, was presented at both the Los Angeles, California (1989), and Little Rock, Arkansas, national Association of Teacher's of singing (NATS) conventions. She is a recipient of several Lila Wallace/Reader's Digest Incentive Grants, for performance and research. She is a member of the NATS, NJ, NYC and National chapters. Also, a composer of jazz, folk and children's songs. Her voice teachers and coaches include Franco Rossi-Roudett, Terrence Shook, Helen Fenstermacher, Chloe Owens, Daniel Ferro, Marlena Malas, Dorothea Discala, Frank Valentino, Deborah Taylor, and Dolores Cassinelli. She has appeared in master classes with Elly Amelling, Jerome Hines, Judith Raskin, and Dalton Baldwin. Ms. Morehead holds a B.A. degree from Rutgers University, M.A. degree from Jersey City State College, and pursued studies at the Academy of Vocal Arts, in Philadelphia, and New York University.
Kendell Kardt, is an American song writer, composer, lyricist, vocalist, guitarist, pianist and performer.
He pursued his active solo performing career between 1967-1983. Kardt has worked as a pianist for classical dance companies from Nashville to New York and New Jersey. He is also a teacher, arranger and organist.

German words :

1. Nicht lange durstest du noch, verbranntes Herz!
Verheißung ist in der Luft, aus unbekannten Mündern bläst mich's an, - die große Kühle kommt...
Meine Sonne stand heiß über mir im Mittage:seid mir gegrüßt, dass ihr kommt, ihr plötzlichen Winde,
ihr kühlen Geister des Nachmittags! Die Luft geht fremd und rein.
Schielt nicht mit schiefem Verführerblick die Nacht mich an?...
Bleib stark, mein tapfres Herz! Frag nicht: warum?

2. Tag meines Lebens! die Sonne sinkt. Schon steht die glatte Flut vergüldet.
Warm atmet der Fels: schlief wohl zu Mittag das Glück auf ihm seinen Mittagsschlaf?
In grünen Lichtern spielt Glück noch der braune Abgrund herauf.
Tag meines Lebens! gen Abend geht's! Schon glüht dein Auge
halbgebrochen, schon quillt deines Taus
Tränengeträufel, schon läuft still über weiße Meere
deiner Liebe Purpur,deine letzte zögernde Seligkeit.

3. Heiterkeit, güldene, komm! du des Todes
heimlichster, süßester Vorgenuss! - Lief ich zu rasch meines Wegs?
Jetzt erst, wo der Fuß müde ward, holt dein Blick mich noch ein,
holt dein Glück mich noch ein. Rings nur Welle und Spiel. Was je schwer war,
sank in blaue Vergessenheit - müßig steht nun mein Kahn.
Sturm und Fahrt - wie verlernt er das!
Wunsch und Hoffen ertrank, glatt liegt Seele und Meer.
Siebente Einsamkeit! Nie empfand ich
näher mir süße Sicherheit, wärmer der Sonne Blick.
Glüht nicht das Eis meiner Gipfel noch?
Silbern, leicht, ein Fisch schwimmt nun mein Nachen hinaus.