Prior to this album, Brad Mehldau had built a reputation as a jazz pianist, particularly with his trio. Soprano Renée Fleming was known for "her operatic performances and recitals of classical art songs".[1] Mehldau's playing often encompassed classical music, while Fleming was interested in being a jazz vocalist from her time at college.[2]
Mehldau worked on the music for around two years.[2] He and Fleming performed all of the tracks at Zankel Hall.[2]
Music and recordingEdit
Poems from Rilke's The Book of Hours were used.[3] New, free translations into English were employed.[2] Other tracks were based on some of the Blue Estuaries poems of Louise Bogan;[3][4] these were written in strophes.[2] The title track was written by Fleurine.[4]
All of the music was either composed or "well-prepared if not entirely written".[4]
Mehldau's "settings capture the sense of Rilke's spiritual solitude and existential dread, transfixing the poet's struggle with belief in a steely light that illuminates his final declaration of faith as clearly as his doubts and fears."[4] "Some of the most striking effects are achieved with bleak, chiming chords, evoking Messiaen, but Mehldau parallels the poets' most involved images with passages of close-packed counterpoint and dense chording."[4]
There are some links between the lyrical content and the music: "In 'Tears in Sleep', for example, the vocal line slides over slippery harmonies, suggesting dreamy restlessness."[3]
Opinions were split partly on genre lines. The Austin Chronicle reviewer stated "Jazz buyers beware",[5] while the Financial Times concluded that "Opera and jazz might seem to be polar opposites, but on this album [...] they blend brilliantly."[6]Gramophone asserted that "Fleming sings with plush tone and deep feeling, often sacrificing textual clarity in the process, and her swoops and swoons help bring out the connections to jazz."[3]
Track listingEdit
The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God: Your First Word Was "Light" (Mehldau/Rilke) – 5:28
The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God: The Hour Is Striking So Close Above Me (Mehldau/Rilke) – 5:09
The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God: I Love the Dark Hours of My Being (Mehldau/Rilke) – 4:35
The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God: I Love You, Gentlest of Ways (Mehldau/Rilke) – 7:02
The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God: No One Lives His Life (Mehldau/Rilke) – 2:36
The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God: His Caring Is a Nightmare to Us (Mehldau/Rilke) – 2:31
The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God: Extinguish My Eyes, I'll Go On Seeing You (Mehldau/Rilke) – 6:13
The Blue Estuaries: Tears in Sleep (Mehldau/Bogan) – 2:31
^ abSanderson, Blair " Renée Fleming / Brad Mehldau – Love Sublime". AllMusic. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
^ abcdefGoldberg, Joe (August 3, 2006) "When Classical Meets Jazz". Wall Street Journal. p. D5.
^ abcdFarach-Colton, Andrew "Love Sublime". Gramophone. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
^ abcdeWitherden, Barry (January 20, 2012) "Mehldau". BBC Music Magazine.
^ abTrachtenberg, Jay (July 14, 2006) "House on Hill, Love Sublime". The Austin Chronicle.
^Hobart, Mike (July 15, 2006) "CDs & DVDs". Financial Times.
Further readingEdit
Mehldau's essay on Love Sublime
August 28, 2023
love, sublime, album, brad, mehldau, renée, fleming, studio, album, brad, mehldau, renée, flemingreleasedjune, 2006recordedjanuary, 2006studiosuny, purchase, performing, arts, center, purchase, yorkgenreclassicallength48, 19labelnonesuchproducersteven, epstein. Love Sublime is an album by Brad Mehldau and Renee Fleming Love SublimeStudio album by Brad Mehldau and Renee FlemingReleasedJune 27 2006RecordedJanuary 10 11 2006StudioSUNY Purchase Performing Arts Center Purchase New YorkGenreClassicalLength48 19LabelNonesuchProducerSteven EpsteinBrad Mehldau chronologyBrad Mehldau Trio Live 2006 Love Sublime 2006 Live in Marciac 2006 Contents 1 Background 2 Music and recording 3 Release and reception 4 Track listing 5 Personnel 6 References 7 Further readingBackground EditPrior to this album Brad Mehldau had built a reputation as a jazz pianist particularly with his trio Soprano Renee Fleming was known for her operatic performances and recitals of classical art songs 1 Mehldau s playing often encompassed classical music while Fleming was interested in being a jazz vocalist from her time at college 2 Rainer Maria Rilke wrote the poems collected in The Book of Hours around the turn of the twentieth century Mehldau worked on the music for around two years 2 He and Fleming performed all of the tracks at Zankel Hall 2 Music and recording EditPoems from Rilke s The Book of Hours were used 3 New free translations into English were employed 2 Other tracks were based on some of the Blue Estuaries poems of Louise Bogan 3 4 these were written in strophes 2 The title track was written by Fleurine 4 All of the music was either composed or well prepared if not entirely written 4 Mehldau s settings capture the sense of Rilke s spiritual solitude and existential dread transfixing the poet s struggle with belief in a steely light that illuminates his final declaration of faith as clearly as his doubts and fears 4 Some of the most striking effects are achieved with bleak chiming chords evoking Messiaen but Mehldau parallels the poets most involved images with passages of close packed counterpoint and dense chording 4 There are some links between the lyrical content and the music In Tears in Sleep for example the vocal line slides over slippery harmonies suggesting dreamy restlessness 3 Release and reception EditProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic 1 The Austin Chronicle 5 The album was released by Nonesuch Records on June 27 2006 2 Opinions were split partly on genre lines The Austin Chronicle reviewer stated Jazz buyers beware 5 while the Financial Times concluded that Opera and jazz might seem to be polar opposites but on this album they blend brilliantly 6 Gramophone asserted that Fleming sings with plush tone and deep feeling often sacrificing textual clarity in the process and her swoops and swoons help bring out the connections to jazz 3 Track listing EditThe Book of Hours Love Poems to God Your First Word Was Light Mehldau Rilke 5 28 The Book of Hours Love Poems to God The Hour Is Striking So Close Above Me Mehldau Rilke 5 09 The Book of Hours Love Poems to God I Love the Dark Hours of My Being Mehldau Rilke 4 35 The Book of Hours Love Poems to God I Love You Gentlest of Ways Mehldau Rilke 7 02 The Book of Hours Love Poems to God No One Lives His Life Mehldau Rilke 2 36 The Book of Hours Love Poems to God His Caring Is a Nightmare to Us Mehldau Rilke 2 31 The Book of Hours Love Poems to God Extinguish My Eyes I ll Go On Seeing You Mehldau Rilke 6 13 The Blue Estuaries Tears in Sleep Mehldau Bogan 2 31 The Blue Estuaries Memory Mehldau Bogan 3 25 The Blue Estuaries A Tale Mehldau Bogan 4 28 Love Sublime Mehldau Fleurine 4 20Personnel EditBrad Mehldau piano Renee Fleming vocalsReferences Edit a b Sanderson Blair Renee Fleming Brad Mehldau Love Sublime AllMusic Retrieved May 23 2016 a b c d e f Goldberg Joe August 3 2006 When Classical Meets Jazz Wall Street Journal p D5 a b c d Farach Colton Andrew Love Sublime Gramophone Retrieved May 23 2016 a b c d e Witherden Barry January 20 2012 Mehldau BBC Music Magazine a b Trachtenberg Jay July 14 2006 House on Hill Love Sublime The Austin Chronicle Hobart Mike July 15 2006 CDs amp DVDs Financial Times Further reading EditMehldau s essay on Love Sublime Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Love Sublime amp oldid 1004285267, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
