Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Carl Loewe, Gustav Mahler, Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Peter Schubert, Robert Schumann, Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky, Carl Maria von Weber, Hugo Wolf
Performer: Michael Gees, Christoph Prégardien
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Challenge Classics
Catalogue: CC72324
Release: 2009
Size: 1.17 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
CD 01
01. Bach: Komm süsser Tod, BWV478
02. Mahler: Symphony No. 2: Urlicht
03. Schubert: Schwanengesang No. 3, Op. 23
04. Schumann: Stirb, Lieb und Freud No. 2, Op.35
05. Schubert: Auflösung, D807
06. Mozart: Abendempfindung an Laura, K523
07. Brahms: Feldeinsamkeit, Op. 86 No. 2
08. Brahms: Wie rafft’ ich mich auf Op. 32,1 (v.Platen)
09. Loewe: Edward, Op. 1 No. 1 (Herder)
10. Weber: Recitative and Arie of Max from the opera, “Freischütz”
CD 02
01. Wolf: Denk’ es, o Seele from “Mörike lieder” No. 39
02. Schubert: Der Jungling und der Tod, D545 (Spaun)
03. Schubert: Der Tod und das Mädchen, D531
04. Wolf: Anakreons Grab (No. 29 from Goethe-Lieder)
05. Wolf: Das Ständchen from Eichendorff lieder, No. 4
06. Mendelssohn: Neue Liebe, Op. 19a No. 4
07. Loewe: Der Erlkönig, Op. 1 No. 3 (Goethe)
08. Wolf: Dereinst, Gedanke mein from “Spanisches Liederbuch”, Weltliche Lieder, No. 22
09. Tchaikovsky: Kuda, Kuda ‘Lensky’s Aria’ (from Eugene Onegin)
10. Schubert: Kriegers Ahnung No. 2, D 957
11. Mahler: Revelge
12. Mahler: Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen from “Fünf Rückertlieder”, No. 4
The selection of songs and arias on this double SACD set reflect on the fundamental question of life and death and cover a period of almost two centuries, the composers featured ranging from Bach through to Tchaikovsky. They are performed by one of the great lyric tenors of our age Christophe Prégardien, accompanied by the pianist Michael Gees. The common theme in the music of this recording is the most fundamental of all, existence itself, life and death. The composers represented are Bach, Mahler, Schubert, Schumann, Mozart, Brahms, Loewe, Wolf, Mendelssohn, and Tchaikovsky. The songs and arias performed here range over almost two centuries with eleven compositions and many musical forms, the simple song with piano accompaniment, the narrative, expansive ballad, the great opera aria and more.
Christoph Prégardien is widely regarded as among the foremost lyric tenors of our time and frequently collaborates with conductors such as Ricardo Chailly, John Elliot Gardiner, Nicolaus Harnoncourt, and Phillipe Herreweghe. He is represented on disc with more than a hundred and twenty titles, including most of his current repertoire. His recordings of German Romantic Lied repertory, particularly his recent releases on Challenge Classics of Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin, (CC72292), and Schwanengesang, (CC72302), have been highly acclaimed by the public and press and have received many major international awards.