Zemlinsky: Die Seejungfrau - Schreker: Der Geburtstag der Infantin

In their day, late-Romantic composers Alexander von Zemlinsky and Franz Schreker’s lights shone brighter than those of their contemporaries. The tables are turned these days, but they’re emerging from the shadows and entrancing audiences anew with their ravishing orchestral canvases. Both works here draw on vivid originals. Zemlinsky’s Die Seejungfrau, which premiered in 1905, is based on the Hans Christian Andersen tale of a mermaid’s doomed attempt to win a prince. Schreker’s Der Geburtstag der Infantin, meanwhile, is based on the rather repellent 1891 Oscar Wilde short story about a dwarf. Extravagant orchestral gestures, exquisite colours and magnificent playing link both works, their composers’ imaginations firing on all cylinders. For lovers of lush, late-Romantic orchestral fare that’s beautifully recorded, this is a must.