By Damián Autorino
Editor at Moto Perpetuo
Fatma Said’s deep love for lieder shines in her new album
LIEDER l FATMA SAID
Works by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, and Johannes Brahms
Released on February 7 (Warner Classics)
To listen, click here.
Fatma Said describes German lieder as “her great love.” Perhaps it was this deep connection and respect that led her to wait until her third solo album to take on this repertoire.
She explains that she has been immersed in lieder since she was 18. Having attended German-speaking schools in her hometown of Cairo, she later studied at the Hanns Eisler Conservatory in Berlin. “Ever since then, the joy of singing this genre has been central to my musical life.” She recalls always performing this music with musicians who were also friends—companions in exploring this rich and fascinating territory.
And those friends are present on this album. A lieder recital traditionally features just a singer and a pianist, but here, Said is joined by a clarinet, a string ensemble, a vocal ensemble, and a baritone partner for a duet. And there is a stunning harp interpretation of Brahms’ Da unten im Tale, performed by Anneleen Lenaerts.
It is surely this combination of love, friendship, and, of course, technical skill and artistry that makes this such a remarkable album. Said sings these songs from the heart—but without leaning on exaggerated emotional appeal.
This recording brings fresh energy to a traditional genre. It will undoubtedly draw in new listeners while delighting connoisseurs, who will now add Said’s name to the list of great lieder interpreters.
OVERVIEW
Fatma Said is a soprano of Egyptian origin renowned for her artistry in opera and lieder. She studied at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin and the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala, becoming the first Egyptian soprano to perform at La Scala. Her debut album, El Nour, earned international acclaim, including a Gramophone Classical Music Award. Known for her innovative interpretations, Said bridges Western classical traditions with Middle Eastern influences.
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Exile: A journey through music of loss and hope
EXILE I PATRICIA KOPATCHINSKAJA I CAMERATA BERN l VITAL JULIAN FREY l VLAD POPESCU l THOMAS KAUFMANN
Works by Alfred Schnittke, Andrzej Panufnik, Franz Schubert, Eugène Ysaÿe, and others
Released on January 24, 2025 (Alpha Classics)
To listen, click here.
Patricia Kopatchinskaja often moves away from the main violin repertoire, exploring less-travelled paths. In the case of this album, alongside cellist Thomas Kaufmann and the Camerata Bern, there is a thematic thread that runs through the composers featured: exile. Kopatchinskaja says that musicians live by moving around the world, and she herself doesn’t know where her home is today: “Mainly onstage, probably – she says – where music happens.” This is why the album focuses on music written by those who lost their homes – composers from the 19th and 20th centuries.
One of the central works of the album is Schnittke’s Cello Sonata, where Kaufmann shines as the soloist while Kopatchinskaja accompanies from the violin and in her role as conductor. Kopatchinskaja takes on the soloist role in Andrzej Panufnik’s Violin Concerto, where her technical perfection and energy find a perfect complement in the strings of the Camerata Bern.
The most complex and challenging piece is Iwan Wyschnegradsky’s String Quartet No. 2, structured around quarter-tone sound structures.
The surprise of the album is certainly Franz Schubert’s Menuetto No. 3 from the 5 Menuetti and 6 Trios for String Quartet. Schubert never left Vienna, but in this case, his music reflects the inner exile that marked his short life. Amid these works are two Eastern European folk songs that highlight the contrast between music with strong local roots and that of the émigrés.
The album closes with Ysaÿe’s Exil! Poème Symphonique, a work of profound sorrow and yet hope. A fitting ending to an album that speaks of those who arrive in new lands and face a new culture, needing to forge a new life.
OVERVIEW
Moldovan-born violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja is celebrated for her dynamic performances and innovative interpretations of both classical and contemporary repertoires. A former student at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, she has gained international recognition for her emotional depth and technical mastery. Kopatchinskaja has performed with leading orchestras and conductors worldwide, and her discography includes critically acclaimed recordings. Known for her adventurous approach to music, she remains a key figure in promoting 20th and 21st-century composers while also inspiring new generations through her teaching.
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