Alice Coote is well established as one of the finest mezzo-sopranos of her generation and her performances in both opera and in the concert hall have garnered considerable acclaim over a number of years. On this beautifully recorded SACD she follows up her ineffably moving performance of Mahler’s ‘Das Lied von der Erde’ Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde - Albrecht with equally compelling accounts of the composer’s three other major song collections – the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Kindertotenlieder and the five Rückert-Lieder.

Coote’s singing in all three of these collections displays a depth of emotional intensity combined with an understanding of the texts that is matched by very few singers around today and just a handful of distinguished artists from the past who have committed these works to disc. The latter, amongst female interpreters, naturally include Christa Ludwig, Janet Baker and Brigitte Fassbaender. What though makes these performances so special is the way in which Coote inhabits every verse of these poems and unfailingly communicates her complete empathy with them. In vocal terms her ability to pare her voice down to a whisper without losing any lack of control or steadiness and the sheer beauty of tone of which she is capable is something to be marvelled at.

In the Rückert-Lieder she has chosen to reverse the usual order of the first two songs – an unusual but perfectly valid decision – and in each of the five her nuanced vocal colouring is remarkable, whether using her rich and powerful chest register as in ‘Um Mitternacht’ or delivering one of the most beautiful and intimate accounts of ‘Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen’ that I have ever heard. The same expressive qualities permeate the ‘Kindertotenlieder’ in which her deep response to the heart-rending sadness of these song is imparted most movingly.

Given singing and interpretations as individual as these, opinions are bound to be divided, but for Mahler aficionados Coote’s enthralling readings of the composer’s deeply personal song-cycles should on no account be missed. In the face of such poignant and occasional rawness in her vocalisation some might prefer the immaculately sung but less emotionally searing performances by Katarina Karnéus on BIS while to others the latter might seem almost bland in comparison with Coote.

In Marc Albrecht and the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra she has found ideally sympathetic partners, and they accompany Coote with the utmost sensitivity. In all three cycles, in terms of both tempi and control of dynamics, the singer and orchestra are in complete accord whilst Albrecht has elicited playing of great refinement, delicacy and where appropriate – as in the third of the Wayfarer songs – considerable dynamism from his orchestra.

The recording team have achieved a most lovely luminous orchestral sound in the sympathetic acoustic of the NedPhO-Koepel, Amsterdam where the recordings took place (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen in November 2015 the remainder in June 2016). The beautifully turned wind solos, harp and timpani are a delight to the ear and are captured with breathtaking fidelity typical of the excellent Polyhymnia recording team in their finest DSD productions.

Rather than a double page photograph of the orchestra and a list of its personnel in the liner notes I would have preferred to have the text and translations of the songs; fortunately though these are available on-line from many sources, so this regrettable omission should not deter anyone from investigating this superb release.

Highly recommended.

Copyright © 2019 Graham Williams and HRAudio.net

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