This enthralling recital guides the grateful listener on an emotional journey through Mahler’s extraordinary output of songs – from the folk-inspired Lieder und Gesänge all the way to the tragically consolatory Kindertotenlieder. As different in musical tone as they are in psychological outlook, all of these songs show their composer as a true master of the art.

Roger Vignoles admirably embraces the colours of Mahler’s orchestrally-minded accompaniments, the piano versions perhaps allowing a more personal aspect of these rich songs to come to the fore; and the rich baritone of Stephan Genz draws the listener ineluctably into a world where honest human feeling is captured in perfection of musical form.