Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, originally from Northern California, died in 2006 at the age of just 52. She brought an almost paradoxical combination of serenity and intensity to her performances, with her graceful presence, mellow voice and her subtle, but penetrating illumination of both text and music. 

Her legacy of studio recordings is surprisingly small, making this recital – originally broadcast by the BBC in 1999 and centred on the German song cycle for the female voice, Frauenliebe und -leben – even more of a treasure. It complements Wigmore Hall Live's other CD with Lorraine Hunt Lieberson of songs by Mahler, Handel and Peter Lieberson – the singer’s husband.