Jazz
Seven years after drawing inspiration from Rainer Maria Rilke on his Elegiac Cycle, a classical-style work for solo piano, young jazz star Brad Mehldau hooks up with the great American soprano Renee Fleming to delve further into the German poet's output in a setting of his earlier Book of Hours: Love Poems to God. Commissioned by Carnegie Hall, the seven-song cycle is at times a bit sketchy in outlining rather than sinking into the aching emotion, but there is no denying the exquisite pain of "Extinguish my eyes, I'll go on seeing you" or the ease with which Mehldau tailors his restless, varied rhythmic attack to the words and Fleming's dynamic delivery of them. (The diva recently worked with two other noted jazz artists, Fred Hersch and Bill Frisell, on Haunted Heart, her less-rewarding album of pop, folk and jazz standards.) Love Sublime also features serviceable settings of three lyrically gripping poems by Louise Bogan (who wrote articles about Rilke as the New Yorker's longtime poetry critic). The title track is a reworking of a song Mehldau previously recorded as an instrumental, this time featuring sharply penetrating words by his wife, vocalist Fleurine.
By Lloyd Sachs. AMG.
A collection of duets for voice and piano, Love Sublime is based on the writings of poets Rainer Maria Rilke and Louise Bogan and addresses faith and doubt, youth and aging, male and female, romantic yearning and mature reflection. The voices of the writers are very much present in the melodies and rhythms of Love Sublime.
**
This record is a revalation. Anyone who loves Ms. Fleming's singing as much as I do should get this record, and any fan of Mehldau will find it indispensable. The songs are all about melody - right from the first Rilke setting, 'Your first word was light', where Ms. Fleming begins alone and sets the tone for the record. I'm partial to the way Renee Fleming sings Strauss - as in her recent wonderful recording of "Daphne". For this record, maybe think: soaring melodies of Strauss meet harmonic language informed by 20th century classical music, a dash of pop music and jazz tonality, and Mehldau's own unique take on harmony. But even that is reductive. How anyone could hear Berg or Scriabin, as in the above review, is anyone's guess. A good starter and a high point of the record is 'Extinguish my eyes...' I've never heard anything like this before. It's an art song, but it also is informed by the sensibility of a great pop ballad in the rollocking piano part. Ms. Fleming's high B on the word 'blood' is one of the most exciting, moving musical moments I've experienced in a long time on record - she owns this song, and Mehldau really gave her something to chew on here and elsewhere on the record. The music is certainly tonal, but not derivative in the least. On the contrary, it is refreshing to hear music that is not weighed down by a pre-existing genre - there's no hint of a system of writing here, like twelve-tone or some other academic, formulaic approach that has been exhausted. This is music for now. Far from being academic, it shows a composer with a vital, mature voice. The piano part, to my ears, sounds like a real work-out as well - I may buy the sheet music of these songs that is available on Mehldau's website just to see how some of it is actually notated. Apart from that, again Ms. Fleming's performance should not be missed - her interpretation of the texts, her vocal performance itself - the whole package - well, there's truly some sublime music making taking place here.
By Bill Jones.
**
Renée Fleming- Soprano
Brad Mehldau- Piano
**
01. Your First Word Was Light (5:27)
02. The Hour Is Striking So Close Above Me (5:08)
03. I Love the Dark Hours of My Being (4:34)
04. I Love You, Gentlest of Ways (7:03)
05. No One Lives His Life (2:35)
06. His Caring Is a Nightmare to Us (2:30 )
07. Extinguish My Eyes, I'll Go on Seeing (6:13)
08. Tears in Sleep (2:30)
09. Memory (3:24 )
10. A Tale (4:35)
11. Love Sublime (4:20)
**
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