Mahler's Fourth Symphony is scored for a much smaller orchestra than his two preceding symphonies, reflecting its lighter nature.
Performer Biography
Essi Luttinen, the mezzo-soprano on this recording, is the Artistic Director of Opera Skaala, an ensemble that combines baroque opera and electronic dance music.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Gustav Mahler's ten symphonies are sometimes compared to an autobiographical novel, with each symphony forming a chapter in an unfolding narrative.
Performer Biography
Leif Segerstam, the conductor, is a versatile musical talent from the Nordic countries, also known as a composer, violinist, and pianist.
Composition History
Mahler's Fourth Symphony incorporates the song Das himmlische Leben, which he originally intended for his Third Symphony before transferring it.
Composition History
The text for Das himmlische Leben, featured in this symphony, comes from Des Knaben Wunderhorn, a collection of German folk poetry that inspired Mahler from the 1880s.
Compositional Technique
The Fourth Symphony is the clearest and simplest in form among all ten of Mahler's symphonies, and is also one of the shortest at approximately 50 minutes.
