Thomas Hampson is regarded in some circles as a successor to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau for his mastery of a wide repertory to which he is drawn by an intellectual curiosity of astonishing breadth. Equally at home on the opera stage and the recital platform, Hampson is known for his passion for song and for the research he undertakes on account of this. In this recital, accompanied by pianist Wolfram Rieger, he sings songs by Gustav Mahler, most of them settings from the immensely popular collection of folk texts titled Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy's Magic Horn). His choice is impressively wide, from the mournful Das irdische Leben (Earthly Life) to the witty Lob des hohen Verstandes (In Praise of Higher Understanding). Hampson's performance, recorded live from the Theótre du Cheótelet in Paris, is inter-cut with informal back-stage interviews in which he introduces the works by Mahler. He gives a fascinating insight into the music and is a compelling and cogent advocate of the power of song.