Mahler Songs
Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano)
Awards:
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Presto Editor's Choice, July 2023
Always a thoughtful and expressive artist, Connolly performs the Mahler songs with the utmost sensitivity and feeling. Her diction is lovely and her legato exquisite. Connolly and pianist Joseph...
Mahler Songs
Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano)
Purchase product
Awards:
-
Presto Editor's Choice, July 2023
Always a thoughtful and expressive artist, Connolly performs the Mahler songs with the utmost sensitivity and feeling. Her diction is lovely and her legato exquisite. Connolly and pianist Joseph...
About
One of the finest Mahlerians of our time, Dame Sarah Connolly brings her fierce intellect and glorious voice to the music she has spent a lifetime studying and performing.
In the first release of series curated and performed by Joseph Middleton that will champion the complete piano accompanied Lieder of Mahler, the “superlative” (New York Times) duo of Connolly and Middleton present the three great song cycles of Mahler: Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen, Fünf Rückert Lieder and Kindertotenlieder.
This is the first time Sarah has performed all three cycles on one album, which she is justly famous the world over for, performing with rare insight and consummate artistry. Her voice is the perfect Mahlerian instrument.
“It is such an enormous honour to have made this recording for Signum with Sarah, the greatest possible advocate for this repertoire. Sarah and I have been performing together for a decade and the music of Mahler has run through that period of my life like a well-spring, bringing countless hours of profound enjoyment, self-reflection, and indeed gratitude that music of such quality and humanity exists for both performer and audience alike. Mahler’s music can teach us so much about the human condition, our connection with nature and our empathy towards other humans. A deep spirituality is built into every bar he writes. Performing this music with Sarah never fails to teach me something new about being a musician and being an artist and I’m so grateful that Signum have given me the opportunity to record all the piano accompanied songs by Mahler.” - Joseph Middleton
Contents and tracklist
- Version for Voice & Piano
- Joseph Middleton (piano), Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano)
- Version for Voice & Piano
- Joseph Middleton (piano), Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano)
Spotlight on this release
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Awards and reviews
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Presto Editor's ChoiceJuly 2023
Mar/Apr 2024
Always a thoughtful and expressive artist, Connolly performs the Mahler songs with the utmost sensitivity and feeling. Her diction is lovely and her legato exquisite. Connolly and pianist Joseph Middleton are impressive collaborators, ever in sync while engaging in the kind of affecting rubato that is at the heart of Mahler’s voice.
October 2023
A thoroughly fresh and rethought interpretation [of Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen] in which the young Mahler, not uncharacteristically, seems to ‘take back’ the inheritance of Schubert. No Mahler collector will want to pass it by.
July 2023
Performances of three great song-cycles that stand comparison with Janet Baker's benchmark set with Barbirolli and the Hallé: Middleton summons such a range of tones and textures that you'll barely miss the orchestral colours, and Connolly is at the top of her considerable game, especially in a searing 'Um Mitternacht' and the distraught, guilt-ridden final song of Kindertotenlieder.