Immediately attractive
A. G. Plumb | Melbourne, Australia | 10/10/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having just read Alma Mahler-Werfel's revealing youthful diaries (so full of passion!)...I just had to find out what her compositions were like. Bearing in mind some reservations I expressed in my review of the diaries for Amazon[.com], I am immediately enchanted by this CD. For a moment I was disappointed that these are orchestral arrangements on this CD (Alma was reputed to be a good pianist, although at times she dismissed her talent) but I do like the arrangements and they satisfactorily (for me anyway) avoid any links with the great orchestrations of Gustav Mahler.In the end I have to say that I don't care if Labor, Zemlinsky, or Pfitzner liked her songs, I don't care if Mahler discouraged Alma. Perhaps it's best to forget who wrote them and just enjoy them. But then I have to say that they have fleshed out my view of the young woman who so challenged me with her diaries."