Album Notes

"FAMILY CONNECTIONS"

CREATED FOR THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROTHSCHILD DYNASTY
with songs by friends, teachers and relatives.
devised by
CHARLOTTE de ROTHSCHILD

Soprano

With her reputation as an international artist and after years of research, no-one is better placed than the soprano Charlotte de Rothschild to tell the unique story of the Rothschilds and their musical associations. 1994 was the anniversary of Mayer Amschel Rothschild: under his direction and genius, his five sons (hence the five arrows of the family crest) were sent to France, Germany, Austria, Italy and England to create the banking dynasty that has become so famous throughout Europe today.

Charlotte is the latest scion of the family to immerse herself in the rich heritage of her forebears, acting both as chronicler and voice of her family history. She has put together a celebration of songs and a collection of delightful anecdotes and she takes the listener on an aural journey through the Rothschild musical vaults, including some previously unknown works by various famous composers. These were either friends, teachers or relatives, such as Liszt, Poulenc, Rossini, Mendelssohn, Chopin, and her ancestors, Meyerbeer and Mathilde de Rothschild. She has performed her "Family Connections" programme to great acclaim in many venues in Europe and the Far East and the CD was released world-wide.
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"...she had a highly cultivated affinity with the genre of Lieder. She sang some charmingly dignified songs by her ancestor Mathilde, which had a Mendelssohnian purity flavoured with some very subtle shifts of harmony." THE TIMES, LONDON

"...it proved a delightful excursion into one of music's byways." THE JEWISH CHRONICLE

"Une voix de texture riche et des nuances infinie" NICE-MATIN

"The Tokyo recital was a real treat for music buffs. Charlotte's soaring voice rendered each piece beautifully. Family Connections was a unique and inspiring occasion which gave music enthusiasts new insights into one of the world's most historic families."
B INTERNATIONAL PREMIER (HONG KONG)

"Her new release, Family Connections, contains some exquisite songs by another Rothschild".
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

“In one of the most intriguing recordings of recent months, a present-day Rothschild sings works inscribed in her family’s volume...Charlotte de Rothschild, whose attractive voice has earned her a career as a recitalist and oratorio soloist, intersperses treasures from the family album among other works associated with home musicales – most notably, songs composed by her cigar-smoking ancestor Mathilde de Rothschild.” THE NEW YORKER

"I have heard Charlotte de Rothschild sing some of the songs she intends to include in her programme "Family Connections" to be given in London, Paris, Naples, Frankfurt and Vienna. The concept is most imaginative, and her intelligent musicianship should give audiences much pleasure"
RAYMOND LEPPARD, C.B.E.

"I have admired the artistry and vocal talents of Charlotte de Rothschild since she came to the Royal College of Music as a post-graduate...and am especially pleased that her C.D. includes songs by Mathilde de Rothschild, whose compositions deserve to be more widely known. The delightful songs on this disc are beautifully constructed and immediately attractive. Each song reflects the mood of the words with telling effect, and Charlotte de Rothschild instinctively responds to the subtle demands of the songs with well-judged rubato.
SIR DAVID WILLCOCKS, C.B.E., M.C.