Lieberson, Serkin, Purvis, Odense Symphony Orchest

Songs of Love and Sorrow Lieberson, Serkin, Purvis, Odense Symphony Orchest

This new album by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and its chief conductor Hannu Lintu is dedicated to works by American composer Peter Lieberson (1946-2011). This album features award-winning bass-baritone Gerald Finley as soloist in Lieberson's song cycle Songs of Love and Sorrow and Lieberson's close friend Anssi Karttunen as soloist in The Six Realms for cello and orchestra. Lieberson's Songs of Love and Sorrow is a deeply personal work. Lieberson had received a commission in 2005 to write a work for his wife, mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson. This project was interrupted by Lorraine's death and soon after also the composer was diagnosed with cancer. The news of being awarded the Grawemeyer Award for his earlier song cycle Neruda Songs (2005) encouraged the composer to write

another cycle on Neruda's poetry, Songs of Love and Sorrow. The work was premiered by Gerald Finley in 2010.