The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (OSM) and its Music Director Rafael Payare celebrate Arnold Schoenberg’s 150th birthday with Schoenberg: Pelleas und Melisande & Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), a recording of two of his late-Romantic masterworks: Pelleas und Melisande and Verklärte Nacht.

Both pieces are based on stories evolving around love, jealousy, acceptance and forgiveness, and showcase Schoenberg’s expressive harmonic language and scintillating, multifarious orchestration.

The album booklet features unique photography and paintings by Arnold Schoenberg, sketching a vivid picture of this extraordinarily versatile artist.

After their acclaimed PENTATONE recordings of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony (2023), as well as his Rückert-Lieder and Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben (2024), Payare and the orchestra further explore this late-Romantic repertoire that fits them like a glove.

Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal 
Rafael Payare – Music Director

The post Schoenberg: Pelleas und Melisande & Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

With his innate musicianship, charismatic energy, gift for communication, and irresistibly joyous spirit, Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare is “electrifying in front of an orchestra” (Los Angeles Times). The 2024-25 season marks his third as Music Director of Canada’s Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and his sixth as Music Director of California’s San Diego Symphony.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Arnold Schoenberg, and Rafael Payare, a passionate advocate for that composer’s music, serves on the Artistic Honorary Committee of Schoenberg 150, dedicated to the worldwide celebration of the occasion. An all-Schoenberg album that includes Pelleas und Melisande and Verklärte Nacht is due for release in October. It marks Payare and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s third on Pentatone, which means it’s a great time for a DSD Bundle and the opportunity to explore Payare’s releases at a special price.

Mahler: Symphony No. 5
For Payare, the Fifth is the last symphony that shows Mahler still looking forward to what the future might bring, unlike his subsequent, much darker and existential works. Despite that optimism, there is enough tragedy and struggle along the way, resonating with Mahler’s life at the time of creation. Payare’s proficiency in late-Romantic repertoire coupled with the matured, distinctive sound of the Montréal players make this a collaboration to look out for. NativeDSD Senior Reviewer Bill Dodd calls the album “An Outstanding Mahler 5th!”

Strauss: Ein Heldenleben – Mahler: Ruckert-Lieder
The pairing of works may seem odd at first, with Strauss at his most exuberant and Mahler at his most introspective. They share, however, a deeply personal and autobiographical approach by two giants of fin-de-siècle music coming to terms with the world they lived in and their place in it.

Schoenberg: Pelleas und Melisande & Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night)
The pairing of works may seem odd at first, with Strauss at his most exuberant and Mahler at his most introspective. They share, however, a deeply personal and autobiographical approach by two giants of fin-de-siècle music coming to terms with the world they lived in and their place in it.

The post Rafael Payare DSD Bundle appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

Pentatone has a rising star! Venezuelan Rafael Payare has been making a name for himself for the past few years, and these two newer releases from Pentatone are lighting up my listening room.
– Bill Dodd, NativeDSD Senior Reviewer
Read Full Review

Two Highly Personal Works by Fin-de-Siècle Giants

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and its Music Director Rafael Payare extend their Pentatone discography with a recording of Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben and Gustav Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder, sung by superstar soprano Sonya Yoncheva.

Exclusively Available at NativeDSD in Stereo and 5.1 Channel Surround Sound DSD 256, DSD 128, DSD 64 and DXD plus Stereo DSD 512.

The pairing of works may seem odd at first, with Strauss at his most exuberant and Mahler at his most introspective. They share, however, a deeply personal and autobiographical approach by two giants of fin-de-siècle music coming to terms with the world they lived in and their place in it.

After their acclaimed recording of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, Payare and the orchestra further explore this late-Romantic repertoire that fits them like a glove.

Ochestre Symphonique de Montréal
Rafael Payare, Music Director
Sonya Yoncheva, Soprano

The post Strauss: Ein Heldenleben – Mahler: Ruckert-Lieder appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

Pentatone has a rising star! Venezuelan Rafael Payare has been making a name for himself for the past few years, and these two newer releases from Pentatone are lighting up my listening room.
– Bill Dodd, NativeDSD Senior Reviewer
Read Full Review

Mahler’s Last Optimistic Symphony

The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and its Music Director Rafael Payare make their NativeDSD debut on the Pentatone label with Mahler’s 5th Symphony. The album is also the first recording under Payare’s tenure. It begins a longer recording relationship with the Pentatone label.

For Payare, the Fifth is the last symphony that shows Mahler still looking forward to what the future might bring, unlike his subsequent, much darker and existential works. Despite that optimism, there is enough tragedy and struggle along the way, resonating with Mahler’s life at the time of creation. Payare’s proficiency in late-Romantic repertoire coupled with the matured, distinctive sound of the Montréal players make this a collaboration to look out for.

NativeDSD Senior Reviewer Bill Dodd calls the album “An Outstanding Mahler 5th!”

This album is available in Stereo and 5.1 Channel Surround Sound DSD 256, DSD 128, DSD 64 and DXD as well as Stereo DSD 512, FLAC 24/192 and FLAC 24/96. It is a DSD Exclusive, Not Available on SACD release.

Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
Rafael Payare, Conductor 

The post Mahler: Symphony No. 5 appeared first on NativeDSD Music.