Love Sublime (with Renée Fleming)

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DescriptionExcerpt

This Mehldau-composed, Carnegie Hall–commissioned song cycle ponders Rainer Marie Rilke’s early poetry. The New York Times says, "it succeeds handsomely as a showcase for Ms. Fleming, and as an example of Mr. Mehldau's deft calibration of pretense and personality."

Description

Love Sublime originated as a commission from the Carnegie Hall Corporation, composed expressly for Fleming—along with Mehldau—to perform at Zankel Hall, where it was premiered in May 2005. Most of the songs draw their texts from two collections of poems: The Blue Estuaries by Louise Bogan and The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God by Rainer Maria Rilke. The text of the title track, “Love Sublime,” was written by the Dutch singer/lyricist Fleurine.

“It was a great pleasure to work with Renee," said Mehldau. "I wrote the music, but she brought it to life."

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Steven Epstein
Recorded January 10–11, 2006, at SUNY Purchase Performing Arts Center, Purchase, NY
Engineered by Todd Whitelock
Assistant Engineer: Jim Yates
Additional Engineering: Richard King
Stage Manager: Andrew Ryder
Mixed by Todd Whitelock at Sony Music Studios, New York, NY
Mastered by Todd Whitelock and Steven Epstein at Sony Music Studios
Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

Music by Brad Mehldau; text by Rainer Maria Rilke (1-7), Louise Bogan (8-10), Fleurine (11)

Design by Barbara de Wilde
Photography by Michael Wilson

Nonesuch Selection Number

79952

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
ns_album_artistid
206
ns_album_id
625
ns_album_releasedate
ns_genre_1
0
ns_genre_2
0
Album Status
Artist Name
Brad Mehldau
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Brad Mehldau, piano
Renée Fleming, vocals

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
UPC
075597995220BUN
Label
MP3
Price
8.00
UPC
075597995268
  • 79952

News & Reviews

  • Brad Mehldau’s After Bach II and Après Fauré are due May 10 on Nonesuch Records. The Bach album comprises four preludes and one fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier, as well as the Allemande from the fourth Partita, interspersed with seven compositions or improvisations by Mehldau inspired by the complementary works of Bach—including Mehldau’s Variations on Bach’s Goldberg Theme. On Après Fauré, Mehldau performs four nocturnes, from a thirty-seven-year span of Gabriel Fauré’s career, as well as a reduction of an excerpt from the Adagio movement of his Piano Quartet in G Minor. Here Mehldau’s four compositions that Fauré inspired are presented in a group, bookended by two sections featuring the French composer’s works.

  • The 2024 Big Ears Festival is next week, taking place in venues throughout downtown Knoxville, TN, March 21–24, with more than a dozen Nonesuch artists past, present, and future performing as part of the label's 60th anniversary celebrations. In addition to all of the music and film offerings, Big Ears also hosts a number of artist conversations with music journalists Ann Powers and Nate Chinen, including talks with Sam Amidon, Laurie Anderson, Darcy James Argue, Rhiannon Giddens, Mary Halvorson, Robin Holcomb, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Brad Mehldau, Davóne Tines, and Yasmin Williams.

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  • About This Album

    Love Sublime originated as a commission from the Carnegie Hall Corporation, composed expressly for Fleming—along with Mehldau—to perform at Zankel Hall, where it was premiered in May 2005. Most of the songs draw their texts from two collections of poems: The Blue Estuaries by Louise Bogan and The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God by Rainer Maria Rilke. The text of the title track, “Love Sublime,” was written by the Dutch singer/lyricist Fleurine.

    “It was a great pleasure to work with Renee," said Mehldau. "I wrote the music, but she brought it to life."

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Brad Mehldau, piano
    Renée Fleming, vocals

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Steven Epstein
    Recorded January 10–11, 2006, at SUNY Purchase Performing Arts Center, Purchase, NY
    Engineered by Todd Whitelock
    Assistant Engineer: Jim Yates
    Additional Engineering: Richard King
    Stage Manager: Andrew Ryder
    Mixed by Todd Whitelock at Sony Music Studios, New York, NY
    Mastered by Todd Whitelock and Steven Epstein at Sony Music Studios
    Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

    Music by Brad Mehldau; text by Rainer Maria Rilke (1-7), Louise Bogan (8-10), Fleurine (11)

    Design by Barbara de Wilde
    Photography by Michael Wilson

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