Brahms, Schumann & Mahler: Lieder

For her first solo song album in nearly 20 years, Renée Fleming takes on two great cycles: Schumann’s Frauenliebe und -leben and Mahler’s achingly beautiful and poignant Rückert-Lieder. Fleming has one of the most gorgeous voices of our time, and it’s always a huge pleasure to hear it in such great music. It’s Brahms, though, who opens the programme, and his gentle way with poetry makes a lovely first part—Hartmut Höll is an attentive piano partner. Schumann’s songs about womanhood are done with a touching simplicity while, with Thielemann and his fine Munich orchestra, the Mahler plumbs greater depths.