Composed in the year before his passing, the Four Last Songs are held by many to be Richard Strauss’ most beautiful, sensuous, and moving compositions.

They are songs of farewell and of gentle heartbreak.

The words of the final song, Im Abendrot, speak of an elderly couple walking hand in hand, at rest from their wanderings, away from life. The final verse:

O weiter, stiller Friede!
So tief im Abendrot
Wie sind wir wandermüde-
Ist dies etwa der Tod?

O vast and silent peace!
So deep in sunset glow,
How weary we are with wandering-
Could this perhaps be death?

For this special premiere performance, Salina Fisher has arranged the Four Last Songs for NZTrio and celebrated Australian soprano Emma Pearson.

ARTISTS
Emma Pearson - Soprano
Amalia Hall - Violin
Matthias Balzat - Cello
Somi Kim - Piano

PROGRAMME

Elena Kats-Chernin | The Spirit and the Maiden
Salina Fisher | Kintsugi
Amy Beach | 2 Songs, Op. 100, A Mirage and Stella Viatoris
Sergei Rachmaninoff | Vocalise
Richard Strauss (arr. Salina Fisher) | Four Last Songs (Vier letze Lieder) TrV 296

This concert is 90 minutes with a 20-minute interval