For her first solo album for Harmonia Mundi, German soprano Christiane Karg turns to Mahler, joined at the piano by her regular accompanist, Malcolm Martineau and, for the last two tracks, Mahler himself. Well, sort of: she sings to the accompaniment of Mahler’s Welte-Mignon piano roll ‘recordings’ of ‘Ich ging mit Lust’ and ‘Das himmlische Leben’.

It’s fascinating, of course, but I admit to just wishing that Martineau had been playing for these two songs as well, so sparklingly vivid and full of wit are his accompaniments throughout the rest of the album. The composer’s playing, as transmitted down to us here at least, is rhythmically full of little surprises, admittedly, but also somewhat lumpy and, well, distant – faded sepia in contrast to Martineau’s crystalline full colour.

In fact, soprano and pianist offer one of the most enjoyable Mahler song discs to have come my way in a long time. It’s a beautifully constructed programme, for a start, with the Rückert Lieder sounding especially fresh and intimate at the centre of a selection of Wunderhorn and pre-Wunderhorn settings. And Karg’s artistry, distinguished by natural intelligence and vivid sense of communication, is an ideal complement to Martineau’s.

Her voice is beautiful, more velvety than diamantine, and, with her supremely sensitive partner, she never has need to push it. She conjures up charming innocence and rusticity well without ever overplaying (the opening ‘Rheinlegendchen’ is irresistible) but is no less adept at the emotional challenges of ‘Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen’, beautifully tender and hushed. She and Martineau bring constant interest to a performance of ‘Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt’ at a steadier tempo than we often hear it.

The performance of the Rückert Lieder is superb, too: ‘Ich atmet’ einen linden Duft’ is suitably airborne, ‘Um Mitternacht’ communicates a vivid sense of what’s at stake and ‘Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen’ is as moving as it should be. In short, this is lieder performance of wonderful freshness and intelligence; a delightful album, highly recommended.