“For a long time I had a conflicted relationship with Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder”, the German soprano Anne Schwanewilms comments in the CD booklet. Who does not? These songs about the death of children, to texts by Friedrich Rückert, who lost a daughter and son in quick succession in 1833-4 and wrote 428 poems on the subject, are almost impossible to listen to without extreme anguish. Malcolm Martineau provides piano accompaniment of a variety and intimacy that suits the songs perfectly, perhaps more so than the usual orchestral version. Schwanewilms has lovely, floated high notes. She interprets with perception, and sings with heartbreaking purity. Complete with texts, this fine disc includes Schoenberg’s early Lieder Op 2, songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn and five Rückert-Lieder.
