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DCD34349-CD
£19.99
‘Honeyed intensity’, ‘emotional engagement’, ‘total vividness’, ‘passion and expressivity’: these are the qualities that have won trophies for the bass-baritone Florian Störtz, not least the 2023 International Handel Singing Competition. Now he and pianist Aleksandra Myslek introduce the rich, colourful late-Romantic sound world of Robert Kahn – their own debut album, and the first substantial Kahn recording by the voice for which he predominantly wrote, including fifteen premieres. Hugely admired in his time but forgotten since his crude and senseless vilification by the Nazis, Kahn becomes here the focus of a narrative that presages his exile from his native Germany, given context with songs by Schumann, Korngold – another Jewish émigré – and Hindemith.
'Certainly Kahn couldn't wish for better advocacy than he gets here. Störtz sings with a natural intelligence, secure and persuasive throughout, and Myslek brings out the impressive variety and imagination in the piano-writing (Kahn initially trained as a pianist). Delphian's engineering is impeccable. Whether this album inspires a Kahn revival we'll have to see, but it's a fine achievement and well worth exploring.'
'ONE TO WATCH', February 2026
'This hugely impressive debut solo recital from the prize-winning bass-baritone centres on the songs of German-Jewish composer Robert Kahn (1865-1951), who fled his homeland for England in the late 1930s: there are shades of his contemporary Richard Strauss in songs like 'Es war der Tag der weißen Chrysanthemen', whilst his compelling response to Schiller's Nänie recalls Schubert in epic ballad mode. Störtz is a vivid story-teller, and the sheer power on display in Hindemith's German-language setting of Walt Whitman's 'Beat! Beat, drums!' suggests that Wagner may figure in his long-term future...'
Presto Team Choices - February 2026
'The same age as Richard Strauss, and only a few years older than Schoenberg, Kahn’s conservative musical language is firmly rooted in Schumann and Brahms, a tradition of deeply felt responses to text. These are matched by Florian Störtz’s earnest and sincere delivery of the long melodic lines, and Aleksandra Myslek’s contemplative and luxuriant accompaniments. The exile of the album’s title comes from Kahn’s fleeing from Nazi Germany (he was Jewish), although the 19 songs presented here are on a range of subjects. I can’t imagine them being given a more sympathetic interpretation'
Collections: All Releases, New Releases, Piano, Song
Category: Aleksandra Myslek, Florian Störtz, Harbingers, Hindemith, Kahn, Korngold, Piano, Schumann, Song
