Mahler, being superstitious, avoided numbering Das Lied von der Erde as his Ninth Symphony, fearing it would be his last, as it had been for Beethoven and Bruckner.
Composition History
The text for Das Lied von der Erde is based on Hans Bethge's poetry collection 'The Chinese Flute,' which contained German versions of ancient Chinese poems.
Composition History
Mahler began composing Das Lied von der Erde in 1908, following a period of personal tragedy including the death of his daughter and a diagnosis of a heart ailment.
Compositional Technique
Das Lied von der Erde is a hybrid work, synthesizing the symphonic form with a cycle of six orchestral songs, featuring two solo voices and the orchestra as protagonists.
Performer Biography
Marc Albrecht, the conductor on this recording, is Chief Conductor of both the Netherlands Opera and Netherlands Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mahler considered Das Lied von der Erde to be his 'most personal' work, contrasting it with his Eighth Symphony, which he called his 'greatest achievement.'
Critical Reception
Mahler himself never heard Das Lied von der Erde performed, as he died before its premiere on November 20, 1911, which was conducted by his friend Bruno Walter.
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