“You’re your own boss.”

Hans Hotter masterfully captures the poignancy of this sublime Brahms Lied.

While refined, Lisa della Casa sings “Four Last Songs” deeply alert to the text and with effortless vocalization that sounds fresh and spontaneous.

Funnily enough, I’m not remotely a Rachmaninov fan, but this performance by Galina Vishnevskaya in her considerable prime always gives me the chills.

With youthful abandon, Ms. Feola interprets an old chestnut.

Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton’s rendition of Jake Heggie‘s “Winged Victory: We’re Through,” vividly captures the song’s humor and energy.

This prompt of “favorite art song performance” seems just about as broad — and almost silly — a question as asking a painter what their favorite color is.

While I like both Erna Berger and Maria Stader’s versions, Erna Berger brings more drama to the rendition.

What I love most about Sergei Rachmaninoff‘s “Lilacs” is how beautifully it captures the quiet intimacy at the heart of art song.

Rosa Ponselle is the singer who had it all.

“Du bist die ruh” was one of the first art songs I ever knew.

Respighi‘s liriche can be as colorful, poetic, and downright lovely as any selection from other art song traditions. Case in point: Rosa Feola‘s recording of the first song from Quattro rispetti toscani.

I listen to about as much art song as I do opera and could have filled every day of April with favorite selections.

This performance of Poulenc‘s “Les Chemins de l’amour” is a gem.

A very haunting Hugo Wolf song sung exquisitely here by Arleen Auger.

I had heard the renowned Dutch soprano on recordings and was an admirer of hers. I was unprepared, however, for such a truly memorable evening.

Thanks to Elly Ameling, I made it through college.

What a shaded and elegant delivery William Mattteuzzi brings to this lilting setting of D’Annunzio‘s “O falce di luna calante”!

Does this count as an art song?

I have always loved this recording of Canteloube‘s Chants d’Auvergne sung by Dawn Upshaw and conducted by Kent Nagano.

Jessye Norman really embraces elements of the song falling somewhere between classical art song and popular ballad.

Janet Baker sings Elgar‘s Sea Pictures with such honesty and clarity and fervor.

It’s not where you start but where you Finnish