Variations on Mendelssohn's 'Hirtenlied'

Mendelssohn’s only music for flute – a brief melody penned during a trip to London in 1829 and called ‘Hirtenlied’ (Shepherd’s Song) – was turned into a delightful and characterful set of variations for flute and piano in 1880 by Anglo-German pianist and composer Agnes Zimmermann (1847-1925). With interest in Zimmermann’s work growing rapidly following the rediscovery of her three violin sonatas, this attractive 10-minute work is set to build her reputation further. Carefully edited from the manuscript by Peter Fribbins and William Drabkin, this handsome edition, published for the first time, also includes a fascinating preface about the origins of the work and an introduction to Zimmermann’s musical career in Victorian England.