Dichterliebe, Op. 48 Performer: Neal Peres Da Costa. Singer: Koen Van Stade. Deux Elles.

On Pastoral Fables, Alexandre Oguey and Neal Peres da Costa take famous sonatas by Brahms, Beethoven and Schumann and rearrange them for cor anglais and period piano. The cor anglais (woodwind instrument of the oboe family) is the instrument used by many composers in some of the most arresting moments of the symphonic repertoire, from Berlioz and Wagner to Shostakovich and Ravel, but its solo repertoire is unfortunately very restricted.

The Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra reinvigorates two of Mozart’s best-known works in its brand-new recording Heavenly Mozart with conductor Rachael Beesley and fortepiano soloist Neal Peres Da Costa, releasing 10 November for digital download or streaming via ABC Classic, and on CD on the ARCO label.

In all, nothing here is a landmark in the art of lieder singing, but anyone who fondly remembers Prey will find much to reminisce over.

Ten years ago, the great tenor Peter Schreier took his stage farewell, Eighty years ago he was born in Meissen. He remains considered one of the greatest lyric tenors in the German-speaking world – with a repertoire ranging from the great Opera roles to oratorio and Lied. One of the gems of his discography is his recording of Schumann’s Lied cycles “Dichterliebe” and “Liederkreis” from 1991, accompanied by Christoph Eschenbach on the piano, now re-released for Schreier’s 80th birthday on 29 July, 2015.