5 Songs after Adelaide Crapsey; 9 Songs of Experience; Nightpiece; Schlafe, mein Kindlein; Ach, meines kleines Mädchen Mother; 6 Songs (1933); Frankie and Johnny; The Fable of the Redwoods; The Ballade of Jesse James; 3 Songs on Texts by Lewis Carroll; 5 Lieder (1922); Bequest; 2 Odes of Keats; The Golden Day; Just one Moment, Annabelle; Songs from A Tongue of Silver; Sighs and Grones

George Antheil (1900-1959) was an American avant-garde composer, pianist and inventor known for his radical musical style and innovative spirit. Often referred to as the "Bad Boy of Music", Antheil made a name for himself in the early 20th century with bold compositions that challenged traditional norms and combined dissonance, mechanical rhythms and experimental instrumentation. He was particularly fascinated by the interface between technology and music, a theme that permeated his entire oeuvre - including his infamous Ballet Mécanique (1924), a piece originally composed for synchronized pianos, airplane propellers and sirens.

Antheil's songs are less well known, but deeply captivating. These vocal works, written at different stages of his career, show a more intimate and lyrical side of the composer. Although far removed from the explosive energy of his orchestral and piano music, his songs retain his characteristic wit, rhythmic precision and inventive harmonies. They often set texts by poets such as James Joyce, Ezra Pound and other representatives of literary modernism and reflect Antheil's intense engagement with contemporary intellectual circles. The songs reveal the development of Antheil's musical language - from the early, Dadaist-influenced miniatures to more mature, expressive works characterized by greater emotional depth and nuance. They bridge the gap between European modernism and American innovation, merging cabaret, classical songs and jazz idioms.

The young mezzo-soprano Alice Lackner has been praised for her voice, described as "seductively self-confident, with an astral treble register and penetrating power" (Oper!) and "absolutely enchanting" (Tagesspiegel). She has quickly captivated audiences on many of the world's leading classical music stages. She has worked with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin and its chief conductor Vladimir Jurowski as well as with the lautten compagney Berlin. She has performed with renowned orchestras such as the Konzerthausorchester Berlin and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and has worked in the field of historical performance practice with leading baroque ensembles such as Ensemble 1700 (under the direction of Dorothee Oberlinger), L'Orfeo and La Banda.

Philip Mayers is a versatile Australian pianist and enjoys a reputation as a sought-after chamber music partner, accompanist, singing teacher and pianist, the latter particularly in the field of new music, where he has been involved in the premiere of over one hundred new works. His concert appearances have taken him to leading festivals such as Montreux, Aldeburgh, La Roque d'Anthéron, La Folle Journée (Nantes), Schleswig-Holstein and Kissinger Sommer.