Rafael Fingerlos, ORF Radio Symphonieorchester Wien & Marcus Merkel - Ewiger Morgen (2026) [Hi-Res]

What began as a tribute to Vienna turned into a deeply personal musical memorial project: what started in early 2025 as an album exploring the diverse musical tradition of the Austrian capital took on a whole new meaning following the sudden death of sound engineer, recording director and co-producer Georg Burdicek.

For many years, Georg Burdicek was an artistic companion, a close confidant and one of the first supporters of the singer Rafael Fingerlos. Following his unexpected death, the project initially came to a standstill. The decision to continue with the recordings ultimately became a conscious tribute to a friend whose influence lives on in every note of the album.

Thus, what began as an original homage to Vienna evolved into a musical journey through memory, loss and hope. Works by Korngold, Richard Strauss, Brahms, Schumann, Beethoven, Bruch, Cornelius, Lortzing and others combine opera, art song, operetta and folk song into a programme that speaks of longing, transience and faith in a new dawn. Richard Strauss’s “Morgen!” in particular becomes a symbol of hope that does not console us by glossing over the pain, but rather emerges from it.

The album was completed thanks to the tremendous support of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marcus Merkel, as well as many long-standing musical companions. It deliberately ends not with pathos, but with the simplicity of the folk song – as a return to one’s roots, humanity and closeness.

Thus, this album not only preserves extraordinary interpretations of the Viennese musical tradition, but also serves as a musical tribute to Georg Burdicek and a poignant reminder that music can connect people beyond loss.

What began as a musical homage to Vienna became a deeply personal project of remembrance. In early 2025, recording began on an album that focuses on the diversity of the Viennese musical tradition – from art songs and opera through to operetta and folk songs. Works by Korngold, Richard Strauss, Brahms, Schumann, Beethoven, Bruch, Cornelius, Lortzing and others paint a multifaceted musical portrait of the city.

During production, a dramatic event fundamentally altered the nature of the project: The unexpected death of sound engineer, recording director and co-producer Georg Burdicek – a long-standing colleague and close friend of the singer – initially brought the work to a standstill. The decision to complete the album nonetheless became a conscious artistic tribute.

The result is a programme that centres on themes such as memory, loss and hope. In this context, the selected works take on a new emotional depth and speak of farewell, consolation and the strength to carry on. The album deliberately concludes with the simplicity of the folk song – as an expression of heritage, humanity and closeness. The album is thus not only a tribute to Vienna, but also a musical memorial to Georg Burdicek.