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Antonio Vivaldi's "Nisi Dominus" for countertenor and orchestra is one of many countless masterpieces by the composer. After the great success of the CD production (released in 2021 by Preiser-Records), Mühlbacher now releases the work on vinyl as well.

"Nisi Dominus" is a sacred cantata in nine parts. Each of these numbers could not be more different. The piece ranges from roaring coloratura to long legato arcs. An ideal stage for soloist and ensemble. With the ensemble Scaramouche, Alois Mühlbacher had proven specialists of historical instruments at his side. Franz Farnberger took over the direction.

The Viennese artist Beatrix Sunkovsky made a kind of documentary of the recording on film. From the most famous part of the cantata, the "Cum dederit" there is also an art film, which was made in Vienna at the Danube Canal. All videos have been published on YouTube. Sunkovsky also directed the vinyl project and hired artist Peter Kubesa for the graphics. The photography of the cover was done by Alexander Eder.

The result was a total work of art, which was released by Preiser-Records in a limited edition. The presentation of the record took place on 2.10.2022 at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna.

If you are interested in the vinyl record, please contact Mrs. Christa Steinkellner with your contact details!

christa@steinkellners.com

After his last release Nisi Dominus – Stabat Mater with baroque repertoire by Pergolesi and Vivaldi, Alois Mühlbacher now dedicates his latest recording Urlicht, which will be released in May on the ARS Produktion label, to masterpieces of a completely different genre and era: songs by Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss.

Alongside the symphonies with Mahler and operas and tone poems with Strauss, the Lied occupied a prominent place in the oeuvre of the contemporary composers. Both had a profound relationship to literature, and to poetry in particular, as a source of inspiration, interpretation and elevation into a sphere of expression that reflected their own sensation of life.

For his new release, Alois Mühlbacher has recorded Mahler’s Fünf Lieder nach Texten von Friedrich Rückert (Songs after Rückert) as well as Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen (Where the Fair Trumpets Sound) and the eponymous Urlicht (Primeval Light) from Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy’s Magic Horn). In addition, the CD presents various songs by Strauss, all of which were written in the first half of his life, including from his first song collection Acht Gedichte aus ‘Letzte Blätter’ (Eight Poems from ‘Last Leaves’), Op. 10 after Hermann von Gilm zu Rosenegg or the Schlichte Weisen (Simple Melodies), Op. 21 after poems by Felix Dahn.

At Alois Mühlbacher’s side is his mentor and long-time accompanist Franz Farnberger, who has distinguished himself as a “very attentive and flexible companion with remarkable pianistic abilities” (Rondo) at numerous joint recitals and CD recordings.


Buy the CD: to the online store

Eine künstlerische Begegnung zwischen Gesang/Raum/Performance als Videoproduktion von und mit dem Countertenor Alois Mühlbacher und Beatrix Sunkovsky unter Mitwirkung zahlreicher herausragenden Musiker*innen.

In der sich stark verändernden Musiklandschaft sind Auftritte im Internet ein wesentliches Forum zur Kommunikation geworden. Aus einer künstlerischen Intervention im Rahmen einer Katalogpräsentation in der Secession in Wien entwickelte sich zwischen dem Countertenor Alois Mühlbacher und der Künstlerin und Szenografin Beatrix Sunkovsky eine langfristige Zusammenarbeit, die dieses Forum als Raum künstlerischer Ausweitung für sich entdeckt hat.

Es entstanden und entstehen - à long terme - in sich geschlossene episodische filmische Sequenzen, die in regelmäßigen Abständen auf YouTube einzusehen sein werden.

Diese Musikvideos beschäftigen sich mit neuen Interpretationen von tradierten Werken oder neuen Kompositionen, verorten sie in unterschiedlichen Räumen und Landschaften, setzen ihrer Entstehungszeit die Jetztzeit gegenüber - kleine musikalische Tableaus, die in der Aneinanderreihung - in der Serie also - einen Einblick geben werden in ein heutiges Verständnis von Musik als Bewegung in Zeit und Raum.

Watch the video here!