Coming Soon, Susan Graham's Frauenliebe with a twist

We've just heard that Susan Graham's recent acclaimed Wigmore Hall recital with Malcolm Martineau was recorded for release on Onyx Classics.

The programme centres on Schumann's great song-cycle Frauenliebe und -leben, but rather than presenting the eight songs as a continuous group, Graham and Martineau intersperse them with mélodies (Ravel, Duparc, Debussy, Hahn, Berlioz, Fauré), music from the American songbook (Rorem, Dankworth), and songs from Scandanavia (Rangström, Grieg) and Spain (Turina, Granados); thus the hymn to the joys of betrothal 'Du Ring an meinem Finger' is juxtaposed with Mahler's 'Rheinlegendchen' (a rather more skittish take on engagement!), and the central announcement of pregnancy, 'Süsser Freund', sits cheek-by-jowl with lullabies by Tchaikovsky and Strauss.

Given on 24th March, the live performance was praised to the skies in the UK press: The Guardian described the programme as "a concept that showed off to perfection the beauty of Graham’s voice, her exceptional range as a performer and the power and brilliance of Martineau’s playing.", whist The Telegraph enthused that "The joy in her art is infectious...The emotional immediacy...came across freshly and urgently".

Release-date still to be confirmed - more details as soon as we have them!

Recent and related recordings from Susan Graham