Hans Pfitzner was one of the most important composers of Lieder in the Romantic period. Many of the songs on this album address subjects associated with withdrawal and introversion: the recollection of the happiness of past love, melancholic images of nature, and an awareness of the finite nature of human existence. Included is the world premiere recording of Weihnachtslied, his only setting inspired by a genuine folk song. But at this collection’s heart are the two remarkable cycles, Opp. 35 and 40, that are full of harmonic sophistication, impassioned expression, technical daring, and profoundly human understanding.