After the success of their debut release, Voyages, Mary Bevan and Joseph Middleton present their second recital disc exploring Lieder in German and Italian by Schubert, Haydn and Wolf. The programme is woven around songs inspired by the ‘muses’ of the day, both mythological and divine.
It begins with Schubert’s dramatic and reverential settings of sacred German poetry, set alongside his lush emotional portrayals of female characters in the Italian settings.
The central section of the disc is then devoted to Haydn’s epic ‘scena’ depicting the famously cruel abandonment of Arianna by her lover Teseo, ‘Arianna a Naxos’. Haydn’s beautiful prayer ‘Geistliches Lied’ takes us back into the world of German poetry and the religious fervour that arose from the collective belief in Christianity which pervaded most art forms of the age. The disc then moves into works by Hugo Wolf, whose stunning settings of devotional texts take the listener right to the heart of the characters; a few of these songs were in fact inspired by paintings. The early moments of Jesus Christ’s life are vividly portrayed here, particularly in songs such as ‘Die ihr Schwebet’, ‘Auf ein Altes Bild’ and ‘Schlafendes Jesuskind’, while the haunting ‘Gesang Weylas’ invites the listener into the world of the mysterious goddes Weyla who wistfully dreams of the shores of her distant homeland.
From Ganymed to Christ, Dido to the Virgin Mary, Arianna to St Peter, this recital disc richly illustrates the lives and events surrounding the ‘divine muses’ who inspired these composers.
All downloads include booklets.
“This recital is sometimes stormy, sometimes prayerful, and occasionally full of rapture…The recording quality on the album is outstanding…For the variety of colors, outstanding drama, and emotive singing, this is a highly recommended recital”. – The Classic Review
“Mary Bevan is not just an exceptionally fine soprano. She’s also a superb actress, whether performing on the operatic stage or on the recital platform. Those dramatic qualities – and her keen care for diction – shine in her latest album, ‘The Divine Muse’ “– Gramophone
“A singer with real dramatic power, much loved on the opera stage…An absorbing recital” – The Observer