In October 1953, the great contralto Kathleen Ferrier died of breast cancer at the age of 41. Why does Ferrier, whose career lasted barely a dozen years, remain fixed in the public memory? Her voice, completely devoid of artifice, always expressed the music through her genuine musicality and strong personality. She needed no recourse to the publicity and hype that are so vital in creating and sustaining a singer's image and career today. This disc is a special remembrance of Ferrier's rare talent. It features a sampling of the repertoire that made her famous and includes an excerpt from her famous 1952 Mahler Das Lied von der Erde (available on Tahra 482) as well as a newly discovered Das Lied recording from the Austrian Radio from the Salzburg Festival in August 1949, and a short interview of Ferrier. This recording is a must for any fan of this great singer.
