It goes without saying that vocal music speaks of God and the world. However, wordless music can also speak. It is a sonic sign language. Someone who understands its characters, signals and symbols can also detect meaning and significance which elude mere structural analysis. To trace these, it is helpful if the composer gives at least an indication in the title (Johann Kuhnau: Biblische Historien (Biblical Histories), Robert Schumann: Waldszenen (Forest Scenes), Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration).

It becomes more difficult if composers – as is often the case in the twentieth century – deliberately conceal the biographical, world view, religious or philosophical content of a work. Constantin Floros, who interpreted Alban Berg’s Lyrische Suite (Lyric Suite) as a message of love to Hanna Fuchs (a sister of the writer Franz Werfel), spoke in such cases of esoteric or concealed programme music.

Against this background, it is hardly surprising that the young Bulgarian-British composer Martin Georgiev provides his music with programmatic titles. Raised in the Orthodox faith in the Black Sea port city of Varna, he often incorporates spiritual ideas in the concept and realisation of his works. This is true of both works in his debut CD.

Lutz Lesle