Gustav Mahler

The Austrian mezzo-soprano Hermine Haselböck, winner of the Vienna Musikverein's Alexander Zemlinsky Prize, sings three of Gustav Mahler's great song cycles, accompanied by pianist Russell Ryan. Hermine Haselböck's other Bridge CDs include Lieder by Franz Schreker with baritone Wolfgang Holzmair and pianist Russell Ryan, BRIDGE9259); and Lieder by Alexander Zemlinsky (with pianist Florian Henschel, BRIDGE9244).

After the successful release by the highly regarded Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra of recordings of two of Gustav Mahler’s symphonies, No. 1 in D major (EXCL00026) and No. 4 in G major (EXCL00048), this two channel double SACD set features a live performance of the composer’s massive Third Symphony in D minor.

Considered to be one of the best modern day interpreters of Gustav Mahler’s music, the Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck began his career as conductor of Vienna's Jeunesse Orchestra, which he co-founded, and as assistant to Claudio Abbado with the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra in Vienna. After several highly successful guest appearances as conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, he was appointed its Music Director in 2008.

Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 in D minor was written between 1893 and 1896 and is the longest symphony in the standard repertoire. It has five movements and features a large orchestra, chorus, children’s choir, and female soloist.

This dynamic ‘live’ recording really does showcase this key work in Mahler’s discography.

Manchester Camerata, conducted by Douglas Boyd and joined by mezzo-soprano Jane Irwin and tenor Peter Wedd, give a vivid and memorable performance of Schoenberg’s chamber transcription of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde.

Last year’s Mahler in Manchester festival was “A sensory experience like no other,” according to The Sunday Times, not least for the Manchester Camerata’s revelatory performance of Das Lied von der Erde in the scaled-down chamber version by Schoenberg.

The poignancy of Mahler’s “Song of the Earth” is highlighted by the reduced forces: just 16 performers, including the distinctive chimes of harmonium, celeste and piano. The chamber arrangement came about through Schoenberg’s Vienna-based Association for Private Musical Performances, founded in 1918. Dedicated to exploring new music but short of funds, they made a number of chamber versions of larger works, of which Das Lied was one. Conducted by Douglas Boyd, Manchester Camerata's performance of this transcription loses nothing of the astonishing sonic allure of the original – an ideal memento of an enlightening festival celebrating the music of Mahler.

Nightingale Classics is proud to present the new lieder album of the Austrian baritone Wolfgang Holzmair.

For years a successful performer in major venues and international festivals around the world, Holzmair looks back on an impressive number of solo recitals. However, lieder by Gustav Mahler have not been included in his otherwise comprehensive discography.

In addition to the well-known cycles Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer), Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the Death of Children) and Rückertlieder, the programme begins with a selection of early songs on texts by Leander, de Molina and Mahler himself.

The two songs at the end of this recital are unfinished compositions based on poems by Heinrich Heine. These two lieder fragments are presented in this collection as world premiere recordings.