Stuart Skelton, the tenor on this recording, is considered one of the most important lyric Heldentenors of his time, specializing in demanding opera roles, particularly those by Wagner.
Composition History
Mahler began sketching Das Lied von der Erde in 1907, the same year he faced the death of his elder daughter and a diagnosis of heart disease.
Composer Biography
Gustav Mahler's creative process was deeply tied to nature; he could only be truly creative outdoors, walking through mountains and forests.
Compositional Technique
Das Lied von der Erde is more than a song cycle; its first and last songs are permeated by symphonic forms, with interlude sections expanding into full developments.
Compositional Technique
The entire work is unified by a three-note motif (a-g-e) that appears in the violins at the beginning of the first movement and is embedded in the final chord.
Performer Biography
Magdalena Kožená, the mezzo-soprano on this recording, won the 6th International Mozart Competition in Salzburg in 1995 and was named 'Artist of the Year' at the Gramophone Awards in 2004.
Composition History
Mahler found inspiration for Das Lied von der Erde in Hans Bethge's 1907 collection of ancient Chinese poems, 'Die chinesische Flöte' (The Chinese Flute), even adding some of his own verses.
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