Soprano Sandrine Piau writes in the program notes that there is no narrative or theme unifying the songs on this album, only the quality they share of being evocative of something beyond themselves. The late Romantic songs are indeed understated and suggestive rather than emphatic, many written in elegiac moods of hushed happiness or subdued yearning. The centerpiece is Richard Strauss' four song cycle, Mädchenblumen, written when the composer was 26, which provided Piau with the initial inspiration for this collection. It's immensely appealing, and its generous lyricism makes it a work that deserves to be widely sung and known.