Schumann: Die Lotosblume, Op. 25 No. 7

The first of four 2-CD “Flagstad Recitals” features Kirsten Flagstad in Brahms and Schubert on CD1 as well as CD premieres of songs by Schumann (including her previously unpublished “Zum Schluss”), Strauss, Wolf and Sinding on CD2. Her great power and control placed her among those with the natural capacity for success in the ‘big’ songs with its special thrill, but there is no want of gentleness in the quieter ones. The American critic, Virgil Thomson, probably spoke for the whole audience when he wrote on Flagstad’s return to the United States in 1947: ‘Never in this writer’s concert-going lifetime has there been available any other vocal artistry of such sumptuous natural acoustics, such perfect technical control and such sound musicianship’.

"Throughout, one is stirred by the sheer beauty of the sound." Gramophone

“deeply felt … wonderfully radiant tone … very touching” [Brahms] “the operatic drama of Der Erlkönig is as memorable as the gently ravishing cantilena of Am Grabe Anselmos” The Penguin Guide to Bargain Compact Discs

"…worth having for the Wolf group alone." Gramophone

ONYX is proud to present an exceptional Schumann recital by the outstanding Austrian baritone Florian Boesch. The recital consists of the greatest Heine settings, the op24 Liederkreis, plus many of the great Romances and Ballads including Belshazzar (Belsatzar). Boesch is rapidly becoming known as one of the most truthfully dramatic lieder interpreters of our day, and made a sensational debut at the Edinburgh Festival in 2005 with Martineau.

Florian Boesch studied in Vienna with Robert Holl. In 2003 he made his operatic debut with Opernhaus Zürich as Papageno, and is now working with many of the world’s greatest conductors including Gergiev, Bychkov, Harnoncourt, Herreweghe, Viotti and Adam Fischer.

Despite his opera work he is perhaps unusual in devoting much of his time to lieder with performances at London’s Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Edinburgh Festival, Mozarteum Salzburg, Wiener Konzerthaus, Palais des Beaux-Arts Brussels, the Schubertiade Festival Schwarzenberg.

Why another Dichterliebe recording? Because Gerald Finley has simply one of the greatest voices of his generation, and is an artist at the peak of his powers. He brings to this noble song cycle the supreme technical ability and penetrating musical understanding that characterize all his performances, whether on the concert platform, in the recording studio or on the great opera stages of the world. This is his fourth disc with collaborator Julius Drake, and the partnership has proved to be a uniquely rewarding one.

This fine recital also includes many of Schumann’s other Heine settings. The extremes of elation and despair in Heine’s poetry stimulated Schumann to write some of his most poignant and unforgettable songs. This is truly a disc to treasure.

‘The value of Schumann’s songs lies chiefly in their spiritual depth, and in this respect they belong with the greatest and most magnificent inexistence; indeed on can say, with regard to the finest of them, that there are few creative works that can be placed quite beside them.’ Franz Brendel

Wolfgang Holzmair and Imogen Cooper's lieder partnership is the stuff of dreams and their traversal of the Schumann repertoire has won them international plaudits both, for performance as well as the sound engineering on these Philips recordings. Here, brought together for the first time as a collection, is their complete traversal of a vast selection of Robert Schumann's lieder, including all the cycles - the two sets of Liederkreis, the 'Kerner Lieder' and Dichterliebe. Included too are individual songs to poems by Heine and Ruckert, as well as a selection of Myrthen. Two songs Rose, Meer und Sonne, Op. 37 No. 9 and Aus den ostlichen Rosen, Op. 25 No. 25, only appeared previously as part of an Imogen Cooper anthology and are here included to well and truly complete the duo's Schumann survey.