The song cycle 'The Folly of Desire' was co-commissioned by several prestigious venues: Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Wigmore Hall, Stanford Live at Stanford University, and Carnegie Hall.
Interpretation
The performers, Ian Bostridge and Brad Mehldau, have often paired 'The Folly of Desire' with Schumann's 'Dichterliebe' in live performances, finding that the pieces illuminate each other.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in July 2022 at the Alpheton New Maltings in Sudbury, UK.
Performer Biography
Ian Bostridge, the tenor, found working with Brad Mehldau, the pianist, liberating, as it encouraged him to sing songs like 'Night and Day' and explore a wider range of repertoire.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The song cycle, 'The Folly of Desire', aims to probe the subject of desire without condemning or sanctioning it, and without providing prescriptive answers.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Brad Mehldau, the composer of the song cycle, initially conceived it as a spiritual climb from lust to lust-free love, but found this too simplistic.
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