This album features three evocative song cycles centered around themes of love, the sea, and nature: Richard Wagner’s *Wesendonck-Lieder*, Gösta Nystroem’s *Sånger vid havet* (Songs by the Sea), and Sir Edward Elgar’s *Sea Pictures*, performed by mezzo-soprano Rosemarie Lang with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra under Hans-Peter Frank.
Wagner’s *Wesendonck-Lieder* were composed during a period of deep emotional turmoil, reflecting his intense relationship with Mathilde Wesendonck. Two of the songs, *Träume* and *Im Treibhaus*, contain direct musical links to *Tristan und Isolde*, making this cycle an intimate prelude to his opera’s themes of longing and transcendence.
Nystroem’s *Sånger vid havet* represents a pinnacle of Swedish art song, blending evocative poetry with impressionistic harmonies. The composer’s deep connection to the sea is evident throughout, with sweeping orchestral textures mirroring the vast, mysterious waters.
Elgar’s *Sea Pictures*, written for contralto Clara Butt, explore different facets of the sea’s beauty, power, and mystery. The cycle includes settings of texts by poets such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Richard Garnett, with Elgar’s sensitive orchestration complementing the rich vocal lines.
This recording captures the emotional depth and vivid imagery of these three song cycles, uniting them in a journey through love, loss, and the ever-changing sea.
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