Gramophone Magazine
November 2021
Editor's Choice

Presto Recordings of the Year
Finalist 2021

Magdalena Kožená (mezzo-soprano), Yefim Bronfman (piano)

Bartók: Dorfszenen Sz 78
Mussorgsky: The Nursery
Brahms: Meine Liebe ist grün, Op. 63 No. 5
Brahms: Nachtigall, Op. 97 No. 1
Brahms: Verzagen, Op. 72 No. 4
Brahms: Bei dir sind meine Gedanken (No. 2 from Sieben Lieder, Op. 95)
Brahms: Von ewiger Liebe, Op. 43 No. 1
Brahms: Anklänge, Op. 7 No. 3
Brahms: Das Mädchen spricht, Op. 107 No. 3
Brahms: Meerfahrt, Op. 96 No. 4
Brahms: Der Schmied Op. 19 / 4
Brahms: Ach, wende diesen Blick (No. 4 from Acht Lieder und Gesänge, Op. 57)
Brahms: Heimweh II, Op. 63 No. 8
Brahms: Mädchenlied, Op. 107 No. 5
Brahms: Unbewegte laue Luft (No. 8 from Acht Lieder und Gesänge, Op. 57)
Brahms: Vergebliches Ständchen, Op. 84 No. 4

On her third PENTATONE album Nostalgia, Magdalena Kožená presents Bartók’s Village Scenes, Mussorgsky’s The Nursery and a selection of Brahms songs, together with acclaimed pianist Yefim Bronfman. Sung in Slovak, Russian and German, these songs on love, longing and innocence show three master composers transforming folk traditions into their unique musical styles. Kožená demonstrates her vocal mastery once more, and this recording with Bronfman is the result of a two-decades-spanning congenial artistic partnership. Nostalgia is star mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená’s third album as part of her exclusive collaboration with PENTATONE, after having presented the baroque cantatas recital album Il giardino dei sospiri and the songs in chamber-musical setting project Soirée in 2019. Yefim Bronfman, whose commanding technique, power and exceptional lyrical gifts are consistently acknowledged by the press and audiences alike, makes his PENTATONE debut.

"The Czech mezzo is in prime form in songs that could have been written for her. She catches every mood and inflection with spontaneous immediacy." - Gramophone Magazine, November 2021.