Ester Mägi: Complete Songs for Female Voice
For the latter part of her long life, Ester Mägi (1922–2021) was known as ‘the First Lady of Estonian music’, her modest, charming disposition endearing her to all who met her. But her music reveals the true strength of her personality, and this first complete recording of her songs for female voice – over half a century of compositional activity – covers a striking emotional range, from the ambivalent feelings of falling in love to dramatic ritual invocations of startling force and power. Many of the earlier songs are openly romantic, but Mägi soon began to tap into the hypnotic energy of Estonian runic folksong, with its echoes of village life and its incantations intended to placate a hostile environment.
Maarja Purga, mezzo-soprano
Valle-Rasmus Roots, cello
Mari-Liis Vind, flute
Kirill Ogorodnikov, guitar
Sten Lassmann, piano
Listen To This Recording:
Viis romanssi (‘Five Romances’) (9:53)
-
Audio Player
- No. 1, Kuis võiksin magada (‘How Could I Sleep’) (1:48) Audio Player
- No. 2, Mälestus (‘A Memory’) (1:35) Audio Player
- No. 3, Rannapääsuke (‘Beach Swallow’) (2:55) Audio Player
- No. 4, Tuul (‘Wind’) (1:45) Audio Player
- No. 5, Õnne algus (‘The Onset of Happiness’) (1:50)
Kaks romanssi (‘Two Romances’) (2:38)
-
Audio Player
- No. 1, Suur ja vaikne (‘Big and Silent’) (1:23) Audio Player
- No. 2, Mul on tare taeva all (‘I have a Shelter under the Sky’) (1:15)*
-
Audio Player
- Kiigele! (‘To the Swing!’) (1:38)* Audio Player
- Leidsid sõnad kalli viisi (‘Words Found a Lovely Melody’) (3:33)* Audio Player
- Lehed langs’sid (‘Leaves were Falling’) (1:34)* Audio Player
- Lumehelbeke (‘A Snowflake’) (1:32)* Audio Player
- Vanatühja petmine (‘Cheating Old Nick’) (1:32)* Audio Player
- Valge pall (‘White Ball’) (3:02)*
Kaks laulu Ernst Enno sõnadele (‘Two Songs to Words by Ernst Enno) (5:09)
-
Audio Player
- No. 1, Sääl kõrgel (‘Up There’) (2:20) Audio Player
- No. 2, Köitke kinni! (‘Bind the eyes!’) (2:49)
Laulud Betti Alveri luulega (‘Songs on Poetry by Betti Alver’) (7:13)
-
Audio Player
- No. 1, Puust palitu (‘Wooden Overcoat’) (2:37) Audio Player
- No. 2, Jälle ja jälle (‘Again and Again’) (2:21) Audio Player
- No. 3, Linnud naersid (‘The Birds were Laughing’) (2:15)
Kolm setu muinasjutulaulu (‘Three Seto Fairytale Songs’) (9:16)
-
Audio Player
- No. 1, Laulev puu (‘The Singing Tree’) (3:36) Audio Player
- No. 2, Uinutamislaul (‘A Cradle Song’) (2:51) Audio Player
- No. 3, Vaeslaps käoks (‘The Orphan of a Cuckoo’) (2:49)
-
Audio Player
- Ööhõlmad (‘Night Shades’) (4:43)
Kaks laulu (‘Two Songs’) for soprano or mezzo-soprano, cello and piano(7:39)
-
Audio Player
- No. 1, Öö (‘Night’) (5:05) Audio Player
- No. 2, Silmil suletuil (‘With Eyes Closed’) (2:28)
-
Audio Player
- Maarjasõnajalg (‘The Marian Fern’) for soprano, flute and piano (3:49) Audio Player
- Huiked (‘Herding Calls’) for soprano, flute and guitar (9:55)
Põllul laulmine (‘Songs from the Fields’) (8:53)
-
Audio Player
- I. Moderato – (1:42) Audio Player
- II. Andante tenuto – (1:31) Audio Player
- III. Largo – (1:26) Audio Player
- IV. Allegro – (0:59) Audio Player
- V. Rubato – (1:18) Audio Player
- VI. Allegro giocoso (1:58)
Available on Digital Edition Only
-
Audio Player
- Viis romanssi (‘Five Romances’): No. 5, Õnne algus (‘The Onset of Happiness’) [Arr. for Mezzo-Soprano and Guitar by Heiki Mätlik] (1:49) Audio Player
- Maarjasõnajalg (‘The Marian Fern’) for soprano, flute and piano [Arr. for Mezzo-Soprano, Flute and Guitar by Heiki Mätlik] Audio Player
- Põllul laulmine (‘Songs from the Fields’): I. Moderato – [Arr. for Mezzo-Soprano, Flute, Cello and Guitar by Heiki Mätlik] (8:29)
*First Recordings
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.