On top of this, she has done many recordings for Naxos, including concertos and other cello works by Beethoven, Bloch, Brahms, Bruch, Dohnányi, Dvořák, Elgar, Lalo, Saint-Saëns, Shostakovich, Schumann, Tavener and Tchaikovsky.

In 1995, moved after reading Nelson Mandela's autobiography, Maria Kliegel decided to find a way to pay tribute to him through classical music.

[3] Since concert plans in South Africa could not be concretized, and the artist wanted to send the composition as a message to the world as soon as possible, the premiere took place in December 1996 before a very moved audience at the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf.

[3] In 1997, Maria Kliegel received an invitation to give a concert on September 24, South African Heritage Day, at the Nico Theatre in Cape Town.

The latter, already 85 years old at the time, returned backstage after the performance, visibly moved, and invited Maria Kliegel to visit him in parliament the next day assuring him that he would tell his friend Nelson everything in detail.

[3] After returning to Germany, a few weeks later Maria Kliegel received an invitation from President Mandela to visit him at his residence in Cape Town.