The Complete Songs of Hugo Wolf

The Complete Songs of Hugo Wolf gathers together for the first time every poem Wolf set to music. Alongside the original German texts are translations by leading Lieder expert Richard Stokes, who also provides illuminating commentary. The 36 poets set by Wolf are each given their own chapter: a brief essay on the poet is followed by a note on Wolf's connection with the writer, extracts from letters that throw light on the Songs and convey his mood at the time of composition, and the texts and translations. Short biographies of all Wolf's correspondents flesh out the extraordinary life of this genius. This will be an indispensable volume for all lovers of Lieder.

Richard Stokes, Professor of Lieder at the Royal Academy of Music, is a regular juror at international Song Competitions. For the operatic stage he has translated Wozzeck and La voix humaine (Opera North), and Parsifal, Lulu, L'Amour de loin and Jakob Lenz (ENO). His books include The Spanish Song Companion (with Jacqueline Cockburn), A French Song Companion (with Graham Johnson) (OUP), The Book of Lieder (Faber), and The Penguin Book of English Song - Seven Centuries of Poetry from Chaucer to Auden. With Alfred Brendel he collaborated on the latter's Collected Poems: Playing the Human Game (Phaidon). Richard Stokes was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2012.