Hailed as ‘one of the brightest lyric-sopranos of the younger generation’, ‘a radiant performer’ and ‘a born actress’, Louise Alder has been held in high critical acclaim during her early career, and has recently been declared Young Singer of the Year at the 2017 International Opera Awards. She is also no stranger to Lieder, and has worked with pianist Joseph Middleton previously at the Leeds Lieder Festival. Joseph is considered a specialist in the art of song accompaniment, and has been described as ‘one of the brightest stars in the world of song and Lieder’ by BBC Music Magazine, ‘the cream of the new generation’ by The Times and ‘a perfect accompanist’ by Opera Now.

Through Life and Love sees Louise and Joseph perform some of the most beautiful Lieder in the repertoire, including Strauss’s Die Nacht, Ständchen and Rote Rosen. Louise will be representing England at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition this year, and this is her debut recital recording.

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1

Nichts
2

Leises Lied
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Ständchen
4

Schlagende Herzen
5

Heimliche Aufforderung
6

Sehnsucht
7

Waldseligkei
8

Ach, Was Kummer, Qual Und Schmerzen
9

Breit Über Mein Haupt
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Wie Sollten Wir Geheim Sie Halten
11

Das Rosenband
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Ich Schwebe
13

Nachtgang
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Einerlei
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Rote Rosen
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Muttertändelei
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Meinem Kinde
18

Die Nacht
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Befreit
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Ruhe, Meine Seele
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Zueignung
22

Weihnachtsgefühl
23

Allerseelen

Europadisc Review

Rising star Louise Alder has already begun to make her mark with a series of opera appearances on CD and DVD, from Cesti’s L’Orontea to Britten’s Rape of Lucretia, not to mention live performances from Handel and Mozart to Puccini and Janáček. Now, just weeks after winning the Audience Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, comes the timely appearance of the soprano’s first solo recital disc, devoted to the songs of Richard Strauss. And you don’t need to read Ms Alder’s introductory booklet note to realise from the outset that this is a composer with a very special place in her affections. From an early infatuation with the Four Last Songs, she has quickly developed to embrace Strauss’s wider Lied repertoire, and the works gathered here are organised thematically in an ‘Ages of Woman’ programme titled ‘Through Life and Love’, under headings ranging from Youth and Longing, via Passions, Partnership and Motherhood, to Loss and Release.

Alder has a bright, clear, fresh, and youthful voice, with a silvery glimmer to it, ideal for the songs of ‘Youth’ that open the disc. They have a keenness and urgency to them, an immediate engagement with the texts that you expect in early Romantics like Schubert and Schumann, but rarer in Strauss performances. The opening song, Nichts, bursts into life, but Alder soon demonstrates her more inward gifts with Leises Lied and Ständchen, ably partnered by pianist Joseph Middleton, who brings an impressionistic delicacy to the accompaniments that is totally winning.

The first item of the ‘Longing’ section is Sehnsucht, op.32 no.2, in which time seems to stand still and the listener is held in rapt attention, and as the recital programme unfolds, it becomes abundantly clear that Alder, still only thirty years of age, already has the maturity of tone and musical insight to convey the more complex emotions evoked by Strauss, yet without ever wallowing in the more voluptuous harmonies. In Ach, was Kummer, Qual und Schmerzen she brings out a knowing playfulness with no more than a hint of archness.

The heightened emotions of such numbers as Wie sollten wir geheim sie halten and Das Rosenband are perfectly conveyed by Alder and Middleton, and there’s a glow of contentment to the ‘Partnership’ songs: Nachtgang, Einerlei and Rote Rosen, and a wonderfully warm tenderness to the ‘Motherhood’ song Meinem Kinde, while Muttertändelei has just the right degree of parody about it. But it’s in the autumnal section entitled ‘Loss’ that Alder really displays her star qualities, with all the rich insight of a much more experienced singer in deeply moving accounts of Die Nacht, Befreit and, above all, the magically hushed tones of Ruhe, meine Seele!

The final section, ‘Release’, brings a measured account of the radiant Zueignung that makes total sense in the context of the recital’s overall trajectory, and it has an operatic immediacy to it. Here and in the concluding Allerseelen, Louise Alder sets the seal on an outstanding recital which we sincerely hope will be the first of many.

Orchid Classics provide an impressive recording, made at Potton Hall, Suffolk, with a balance that favours the voice over the piano in just about ideal measure, given the singular intensity of the vocal emotions on display. There are no texts, but thanks to Joanna Wyld’s helpful booklet notes and Alder’s crystal-clear enunciation, immaculate and vivid emotional engagement, they’re hardly necessary. This is a debut performance that can confidently stand alongside the great Strauss voices of the past, but with a newly-minted freshness. No wonder the Cardiff audience responded so warmly to Ms Alder’s voice. These are accounts to treasure, and a gem of a disc. Straussians and all lovers of Lieder need not hesitate: snap this up without delay!

Reviews

[Louise Alder] is excellent in the expressionistic depths of the remarkable ‘Sehnsucht’ and offers unusually pensive, moving accounts of ‘Zueignung’ and ‘Allerseelen’ – placed in that final ‘Release’ section. Her control is exquisite, too, and I found myself anticipating each occasion (such as in the ascents of ‘Waldseligkeit’) where the music takes the voice into its sweet upper reaches, where her pure, bell-like tone is dabbed with delicate touches of vibrato. Hugo Shirley

Gramophone September 2017

In an astute selection of lieder, Alder combines youthful sparkle with artless and affecting sincerity. ... Riding a trend for more thematic programmes of German art-song, Alder and her equally accomplished accompanist, Joseph Middleton, chart an emotional journey from youth to love, motherhood to loss, closing with the theme of “release”, which includes two of Strauss’s most glorious numbers, Zueignung and Allerseelen. Alder’s voice floats beautifully over Middleton’s piano; ... she finds wonderfully expressive range here, tease and wit in the more carefree numbers, melancholic poise when Strauss sets more anxiously existential verses. Neil Fisher

The Times 30 June 2017

A popular choice for the audience prize at the 2017 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and a superb Sophie in WNO’s recent Der Rosenkavalier, Louise Alder has captured hearts in Wales and beyond. This disc of Richard Strauss songs comes at just the right moment in her ascent towards stardom. It’s grouped under headings such as youth, longing, loss, release. ... All are sung with vivid narrative skill, rich in colour and detail, and with a stunning purity of tone on long notes (as in the “Ruhe” of Ruhe, meine Seele!). Fiona Maddocks

The Observer 25 June 2017

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Condition	Description
New	Brand new item, only ever sourced from the official UK distributor. Usually seal-wrapped, although a minority of labels do not use seal-wrap.
Used - Mint	Used item in excellent condition. Not usually seal-wrapped.
Used - Good	Used item with some minor signs of wear and tear. Never seal-wrapped.
Used - Acceptable	Used item with obvious scuffs or cosmetic damage to the case or booklet. Never seal-wrapped.

Condition	Description
New	Brand new item, only ever sourced from the official UK distributor. Usually seal-wrapped, although a minority of labels do not use seal-wrap.
Used - Mint	Used item in excellent condition. Not usually seal-wrapped.
Used - Good	Used item with some minor signs of wear and tear. Never seal-wrapped.
Used - Acceptable	Used item with obvious scuffs or cosmetic damage to the case or booklet. Never seal-wrapped.

Through Life and Love: Richard Strauss Lieder

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Europadisc Review

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