Skylark Music

Brahms Journey of Longing (SKY1501)

Donna Brown, soprano
Jane Coop, piano
with Yariv Aloni, viola

Distinguished Canadian artists Donna Brown, soprano, and Jane Coop, piano, join forces in this new collection of 21 powerful and poignant Brahms art songs. The CD's title reflects the predominant mood of longing, a sentiment that Brahms expresses so uniquely and so deeply. From translucence to darkest ebony, the variety of colours throughout is evocative and touching.

Added bonuses in the recording are the two songs with viola with the superb collaboration of Yariv Aloni, and the three solo piano Intermezzi Op.117 with Ms. Coop.

A national treasure, Donna Brown has performed and recorded with dozens of eminent conductors and orchestras of the world, including Helmuth Rilling, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Kent Nagano, Bernard Haitink, the London Philharmonic, L'Orchestre de Paris, Israel Philharmonic, NHK Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony. She now makes her home in Montreal.

This is a re-issue of one of the most popular piano collections ever produced by CBC.

The 15 selections by Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Debussy, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff and Brahms have been carefully chosen by renowned Canadian pianist Jane Coop.  The performances are superb, and the sound is beautiful and evocative.  This is a collection that every piano fan and every piano student will want to have in his/her library.

"It is difficult to pinpoint what makes this pianist so expressive, for in her playing everything works together ...Coop has that extra something that lets a pianist become a poet." (Montreal Gazette)