ISLAMABAD: Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason and Thomas Stimmel captured the hearts and imaginations of their audience on Thursday night when they performed at the Liederabend or German song recital hosted by German Ambassador Ina Lepel.

The venue echoed with the sounds of classical piano as 19th century composers Schumann, Finzi, Ireland, Brahms and Mahler were brought to life by the duo`s performance.

Bjarnason is a conductor, pianist, violinist and composer who has performed with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, while the baritone Stimmel is a choral conductor from Munich and a member of the German musical ensemble Sound Affaire.

The Liederabend or song recital dates back to the 1800s, when musicians and music lovers would gather to perform the songs of composers of the day.

They began by playing seven of the twelve Liederkreis song cycle, by the German composer Robert Schumann, with poetryfrom German poet Joseph Eichendorff`s `Intermezzo` The second collection was also taken from Schumann`s later worl(s, including remarkable songs from Wilhelm Meister one of Goethe`s most famous works as well as the Requiem of Mignon, among others.

Stimmel told the audience: `We added English songs to our repertoire for tonight so that the audience would be able to understand the words as well asthe moods.

They then played Gerald Finzi`s Let Us Garlands Bring, consisting of settings from Shalcespearean songs; Feste`s second song in The Twelfth Night, Come Away, Come Away Death, as well as Who is Silvia? from Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Mehr Naqvi, one of the audience members, praised their choice of John Masefield`s Sea Fever, saying,`This was my favourite poem from childhood.I loved the entire performance it took me back to my days in Vienna where I would enjoy the costumed operas.

The second half was as enchanting as the first, with the mood becoming decidedly more sombre. Moving to Brahms, Bjarni said, `These songs are drawn from the oldest parts of the Old Testament and the last comes with the message that love comforts. They have been selected in light of the recent events in Lahore.

VierernsteGesänge, or Four Serious Songs, is a composition by the legendary composer Johannes Brahms. Performing Gustav Mahler`s Rückert Lieder, the duo highlighted the individuality of each piece through the interplay between vocals and piano.

Returning for an encore, Bjarni said: `It has been a great pleasure for us to come to Pakistan and make music for you. We would like to leave you with the joy of being alive and happiness and we will finish with a popular song, slightly improvised.

The evening ended with a lovely rendition of the Billy Joel song, And So It Goes.