Rückert Lieder, song collection for voice & piano (or orchestra): Ich atmet' einen linden Duft
Rückert Lieder, song collection for voice & piano (or orchestra): Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder
Rückert Lieder, song collection for voice & piano (or orchestra): Liebst du um Schönheit
Rückert Lieder, song collection for voice & piano (or orchestra): Um Mitternacht
Rückert Lieder, song collection for voice & piano (or orchestra): Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Ariodante, opera, HWV 33: E vivo ancore...Scherza infida
Theodora, oratorio, HWV 68: As with rosy steps
Rilke Songs, for voice & piano: O ihr Zärtlichen
Rilke Songs, for voice & piano: Stiller Freund
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's spoken introduction to Triraksha's aria from Ashoka's Dream
Ashoka's Dream, opera: Triraksha's aria
Deep River, spiritual
Unbewegte laue Luft, song for voice & piano, Op. 57/8
We are indebted to Wigmore Hall for preserving this 1998 recital by the great, beloved mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, who was tragically taken from us in 2006. Now that her recordings are all we have left, this one... more » is particularly valuable: it captures the vibrant immediacy of a live performance. The concentrated, spellbound silence of the audience is like a tangible presence. It also captures the incomparable beauty of Hunt Lieberson's voice: a dark alto in the low register, a warm mezzo in mid-range, crowned by a radiant top. Seamless, focused, and pure, she could make it float ethereally or glow with intensity; her intonation and breath-control were impeccable. The program illustrates the breadth of her repertoire. Baroque opera was among her specialties, and the record includes two slow Handel arias, one a lament, one a prayer. She carries the influence of the bel canto style and its tendency to swell notes with delayed vibrato over into the Five Mahler Songs on Rückert poems, making them sound a bit fussy and calculated, particularly the first and last, which are extremely slow. In the fourth, however, the initial despair and final heroic resignation come out beautifully. In both these groups, one misses the orchestra, especially because the pianist, an admirable, empathetic partner, sounds distant and subdued. The program ends with works by her husband, Peter Lieberson: two songs on Rilke poems and an aria from the opera Ashoka's Dream. No composer could wish for a more persuasive advocate. She brings out their majesty, passion, and inward expressiveness with total identification. As encores, the spiritual "Deep River," the first verse in the low register, the second an octave higher, is deeply devout; Brahms' "Unbewegte laue Luft" starts softly and ends in a burst of glory. --Edith Eisler« less
We are indebted to Wigmore Hall for preserving this 1998 recital by the great, beloved mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, who was tragically taken from us in 2006. Now that her recordings are all we have left, this one is particularly valuable: it captures the vibrant immediacy of a live performance. The concentrated, spellbound silence of the audience is like a tangible presence. It also captures the incomparable beauty of Hunt Lieberson's voice: a dark alto in the low register, a warm mezzo in mid-range, crowned by a radiant top. Seamless, focused, and pure, she could make it float ethereally or glow with intensity; her intonation and breath-control were impeccable. The program illustrates the breadth of her repertoire. Baroque opera was among her specialties, and the record includes two slow Handel arias, one a lament, one a prayer. She carries the influence of the bel canto style and its tendency to swell notes with delayed vibrato over into the Five Mahler Songs on Rückert poems, making them sound a bit fussy and calculated, particularly the first and last, which are extremely slow. In the fourth, however, the initial despair and final heroic resignation come out beautifully. In both these groups, one misses the orchestra, especially because the pianist, an admirable, empathetic partner, sounds distant and subdued. The program ends with works by her husband, Peter Lieberson: two songs on Rilke poems and an aria from the opera Ashoka's Dream. No composer could wish for a more persuasive advocate. She brings out their majesty, passion, and inward expressiveness with total identification. As encores, the spiritual "Deep River," the first verse in the low register, the second an octave higher, is deeply devout; Brahms' "Unbewegte laue Luft" starts softly and ends in a burst of glory. --Edith Eisler
CD Reviews
How do you even begin to comment on this singer?
Edie Sousa | Manhattan | 06/22/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am fortunate to work in an office with walls and a door, where I can actually play music without disturbing anyone. Lately, because work has been particularly stressful, I've been playing and replaying my Hunt Lieberson CD's. Sometimes I am forced to just stop what I'm doing and listen, because I can't help it. Other times I'm aware of this glorious, comforting, melodic background to my work that makes everything I do more tolerable and less fraught. To say that I'm awestruck by this woman's gift would be the grossest of understatements. I don't recall ever responding to music in this way--and I am a singer. No one who cares about vocal music should be without all of Hunt Lieberson's work. Simply extraordinary."
A reissued recital in tribute to a great artist
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 05/31/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Lorraine Hunt Lieberson got her just due as a great singer only in the last seven years or so of her life. She had sung gloriously at the New York City Opera without being offered a chance to debut at the Met until she was in her forties and made a huge success as Dido in Berlioz's Les Troyens. Now that she is gone, her rpemature death has inspsired a number of tribute albums, of which this 1998 recital in Wigmore Hall is one of the best.
For one thing, it's her only solo recital on disk, and it features some staples of her repertoire--two arias from Handel's Theodora, two beautiful Rilke settings by Petyer Lieberson, and the spiritual 'Deep River' as one of the encores. Hunt Lieberson was also a great Mahler singer but never recored any. She was deeply moving in the Third Sym. as she is here in the five Ruckert lieder. Roger Nognobles offers exceptionally sensitive accompaniments, particularly in the Mahler--I'd rank this CD as first choice if you want these songs outside their usual orchestral setting.
In sum, a unique recital form a much loved and greatly missed singer."
Beautiful Tribute
C. H. Trippe | Durham, NC United States | 07/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The re-issue of (AT LAST!) of this live concert is a fitting tribute to the late Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson. The achingly beautiful Mahler lieder and the joyous Handel arias for which she was so well known, are exquisitely and movingly sung. This is a must-have for those who loved this great artist. Her favorite encore number, "Deep River" could melt a heart of stone."
What an amazing recital!
Steve Wehmhoff | East Northport NY United States | 12/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This was as noted a lunchtime recital released originally, with one fewer track, by BBC Records. Wigmore Hall was able to regain the rights and use an additional track to make this neglected gem even more special. Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson was taken too soon. Her voice was still in top form and as a lieder singer she had few rivals.
The last couple of years have brought forth some great CDs by Mrs. Lieberson and all have been wonderful. I can sincerely recommend this release to anyone interested in great singing or just plain good music.