Louise Farrenc earned the respect afforded to few female composers in her day, and she enjoyed a career of international standing. Born in 1804 in Paris, Farrenc鈥檚 ambitious orchestration set her apart. She was also fortunate in that her husband and his contacts supported her immense talent, a rare advantage in a society unanimously biased against the idea of women composing music. In the 1840s Farrenc wrote three symphonies, of which we hear her instantly appealing second in today鈥檚 studio concert.
Gustav Mahler鈥檚 five 搁眉肠办别谤迟-尝颈别诲别谤, which he completed sometime between 1901-2, are memorable and moving for their exquisite light and shade. These tender songs are settings of the Romantic German poet Friedrich R眉ckert and today we hear them sung by English Baritone, James Atkinson.
To finish, a rarely heard piece from composer Gian Carlo Menotti. Born in Italy in 1911, he wrote his first opera The Death of Pierrot at the age of 11. He studied in the United States and went on to complete 25 operas in a prolific career. His three-movement work Apocalypse is full of orchestral colour and excitement, and it comes from the period of Menotti's greatest operatic successes.
Nil Venditti, conductor
James Atkinson, baritone
