Antony Beaumont presents Zemlinsky's Songs op. 5 in a critical edition for high voice. Composed between 1896 and 1897, the works reflect the diversity of the fin de siècle. Texts by contemporary poets, personal dedications to soprano Melanie Guttmann and sculptor Ilse Conrat, and the contrasting moods of the two volumes offer insight into Zemlinsky's early expressive range and his close artistic and personal connections.