Summer & Winter Songs

Hailed by the New York Times as “An interesting composer” and “attractive and tonal” with music described as “a passionate duet “ and “a sprightly songfest,” prolific contemporary composer Mira J. Spektor’s career spans decades, languages, and disciplines. With a compositional repertoire including chamber operas, musicals, film scores, art songs, and cabaret, Spektor has written English, French, and German songs and performed and recorded in the United States, Europe, and Israel. She is also a published poet and brings her wealth of knowledge, experience, and musical passion to her Navona Records debut SUMMER & WINTER SONGS.

Performed by soprano Maeve Höglund and accompanied by pianist and tenor Jean-Paul Björlin, SUMMER & WINTER SONGS glides through stories of love and loss. With songs set to texts by herself, notable poets from Goethe to Byron, and a selection of poetry by her granddaughter Lily Nussbaum, Spektor’s songs are as lyrical as they are profound. The richly melodic work is alive with images of falling into slumber as summer fades to fall, bitter winter chills within the heart of one whose lover is far away, passionate romance in the city, and other inspired pictures of life in summer and winter, literally and in metaphor.

SUMMER & WINTER SONGS achieves the dual purpose of adding to the repertoire of contemporary vocal works while also securing Mira Spektor’s place as one of the finest composers in her genre. An album of striking overall artistry, SUMMER & WINTER SONGS will resonate with listeners through seasons to come.