Peter Cornelius composed under the spell of Wagner and of Liszt, but his songs reveal a remarkable artistic independence. Volume 2 of this complete edition, a collection of songs set to texts by a variety of poets, not least Heine and Hölderlin, includes several gems and rarities. They range from Cornelius’ time as a student in Berlin to his final years in Vienna and Munich. Volume 1 can be heard on Naxos 8572556.