Inside Dreaming and Waking by Iris Lichtinger and Axel Wolf : A Recorder and Lute Perspective

There are recordings that keep their distance, then there are those that draw you into the room. Dreaming and Waking by Iris Lichtinger and Axel Wolf  lives in that second category, opening a door into early London through sound that feels close to the listener. Instead of recreating a forgotten era, it approaches this repertoire with a sense of presence, where recorder and lute meet in a conversation shaped by breath, wood, and touch. The effect is quiet, steady, and immediate, inviting listeners into music once heard in small gatherings and private settings.

Behind the Recording of Dreaming and Waking by Iris Lichtinger and Axel Wolf

This recording features Iris Lichtinger on recorder and voice, together with Axel Wolf on lute and theorbo, working with pieces associated with the cultural setting that Samuel Pepys wrote about. The program is shaped around material that once belonged to smaller rooms, where these instruments were familiar companions in private circles. Their recording location provides a natural acoustic that supports close listening, letting each detail settle without strain.

The Listening Experience

  1. Recorder lines produced with steady breath and clear articulation.
  2. Lute figures that sit close to the ear and keep the texture light.
  3. Pieces drawn from composers connected to Pepys’s period.
  4. A venue selected for its supportive acoustics.
  5. The two performers maintain a direct exchange without overstatement.

A Closer Look at the Recording

The album avoids large gestures and stays committed to the quieter side of early repertoire. Instead of broad dramatic shifts, the emphasis falls on how recorder tone and lute colours meet in close proximity. This lets the listener hear details that often disappear in larger settings. The approach maintains focus on early material while allowing it to sit comfortably in a contemporary listening environment. The result is a recording that respects the past without treating it as something remote.

What Listeners Notice Over Time

Listeners often pick up how:

     The recorder maintains a clear centre throughout the program.

     The lute supports each line with understated depth.

     The material feels natural in a small acoustic.

     The quieter tones carry well in this setting.

In conclusion, Dreaming and Waking by Iris Lichtinger and Axel Wolf stands as an exemplary work of early music, presented through careful listening, steady interaction, and attention to detail, offering today’s audience a way into repertoire that once belonged to more intimate settings. It carries a quiet closeness that invites listeners to stay with the music a little longer than expected.

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