At least today’s CD is not just Songs.

It’s Songs and Duets.

That makes it so much better.

There are 22 tracks on Brahms CD 53, totaling 50 minutes. Two many tracks to list here. But I will list the performers:

Simone Nold soprano

Christian Elsner tenor

Gerold Huber piano

To be fair, the duets are interesting, even compelling. The singers are wonderful, especially Simone.

One song really stood out to me: Track 6 (“Feinsliebchen Wo033 No. 12”). The “la-la-la-la” part was fun. Really serious vocalists singing what amounts to background vocals for a pop song. The bouncy song put a smile on my face. By the way, the word “Feinsliebchen” translates, roughly, to “fine sweethearts.”

And, before that smile could be wiped off my face, the next track, Track 7 (“Mein Madel hat einen Rosenmund Wo033 No. 11”) continued the “la-la-la-la” chorus in a fun, upbeat way.

I just realized what I haven’t heard yet from Brahms – any songs written and sung in English.

If memory serves, even Haydn wrote many folk songs, some of which in English.

I wonder why no English-language songs from Brahms?

This CD is better than 90% of the Songs CDs that came before, for two reasons:

1. The songs are more upbeat
2. Simone Nold

I might even listen to this CD again. (Did I just type that?)