Here are our selections of the best releases that are New In Music this Week: May 5th:
TOP CHOICE:
CLASSICAL: Christian Gerhaher: Das Lied von der Erde (Sony Classical)
This is an absolutely exquisite recording of Mahler’s deeply personal song cycle written after the death of his daughter. What makes this recording utterly compelling is that it is simply baritone Gerhaher and pianist Gerald Huber. Not the standard arrangement you’ll hear of this work.
The first, third and fifth movements of Das Lied von der Erde feature tenor Piotr Beczala. Beczala is regularly found on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. Gerhaher will make his Met debut next year in a production of Wagner’s Tannhäuser. Fans of great singing and Mahler will not want to miss this recording.
The rest of this week’s picks for New In Music This Week: May 5th are:
BROADWAY: Shucked – Original Cast Album (Sony Masterworks)
When the Tony Award nominations were announced this week, there were the obvious big-budget shows amongst the nominees (Some Like It Hot, New York, New York) and also the little show that could: Shucked. With 9 nominations including Best New Musical, Shucked has proven to be quite the crowd-pleaser.
Since not everyone can get to New York or afford tickets to shows on Broadway, this week’s digital release of the original Broadway cast recording will let you in on the appeal of the show and its sense of humor.
Shucked was composed by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally and has a book by Robert Horn. The cast includes John Behlmann, Kevin Cahoon, Andrew Durand, Grey Henson, Caroline Innerbichler, Ashley D. Kelley and Alex Newell. Cahoon and Newell were amongst the nominees along with the show’s creators.
This may be the first musical to feature a song about corn since Grey Gardens and certainly the first to feature two songs about corn. Clark and McAnally perform two bonus tracks. The CD will be released on June 9th.
CLASSICAL: Philharmonia Orchestra – Simon Rattle: The Planets (Warner Classics)
Conductor Simon Rattle’s original 1980 recording of Gustav Holst’s The Planets is being released on CD, digital and vinyl. This was released the same year that Rattle was named Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Holst’s music has served as endless inspiration for film composers (I won’t name them) and the music itself has been featured in The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Right Stuff, The Boss Baby and more.
JAZZ: Joe Lovano: Our Daily Bread (ECM)
Do you need to know much more than there’s a new Joe Lovano album? The saxophonist is joined on this record by drummer Carmen Castaldi and pianist Marilyn Crispell. They previously recorded 2018’s Trio Tapestry and 2020’s Garden of Expression together.
Lovano is a 14-time Grammy nominee with a win for his album 52nd Street Themes (Best Large Jazz Ensemble).
Our Daily Bread features an opening track that explores 12-tone music and includes a solo performance of One for Charlie dedicated to the late double bass jazz musician and composer Charlie Haden.
OPERA: Reiko Füting: Mechthild (New Focus Recordings)
If you’re a fan of modern opera, this world premiere recording is going to be just your thing. Mechthild had its world premiere in Magdeburg Germany last September. The librettist is “poet and theologian” Christian Lehnert.
Mechthild is an opera in three parts and takes its name from Mechthild of Magdeburg who was a mystic who was the first to write in German. She was a Beguine whose members did not have to formalize their religious vows, were free to leave and promised not to marry. The opera is dedicated to her.
The cast includes soprano Hannah Herfurtner as Mechthild’s soul; soprano Olivia Stahn as Mechthild’s body and Susi Wirth is the narrator. The music is conducted by Olaf Katzer.
Not a large list of New in Music This Week: May 5th, but it’s a good one!
Have a great weekend!