Wisdom’s Harvest
Neuma, 2026
9/10
The soprano Sara Paar and pianist Marcia Eckert come together for these curated 20th-century art songs that display wisdom from life’s trials in love, war, and identity.
Jake Heggie’s “Natural Selection” starts the listen with Paar’s soaring pipes alongside Eckert’s graceful keys for the 5 movements that follows a young woman’s coming-of-age journey, and “Poèmes pour la paix”, by Ned Rorem, continues with powerful bouts to Norem’s pacifist beliefs and the despair of war amid emotive keys.
On the back half, Louise Talma’s “selections from Seven Songs for Voice and Piano” emits expressive poetry via the diverse singing and unpredictable keys, while “Six Chansons Françaises”, by Germaine Tailleferre, radiates much harmony across animated gestures, lively singing and bright keys.
A rich and articulate effort where Paar and Eckert’s talents seemingly know no bounds, anyone with an ear for classical, chamber, opera and piano music will find much to adore here.
Travels well with: Sarah Genevieve Burghart Rice- Yet; Stephanie Lamprea/Alistair MacDonald- Ecstatic Visions