Das Lied Von Der Erde: Soloists excel themselves in CIMF Finale…

The Song of the Earth

Canberra International Music Festival Finale

Live streamed on Melbourne Digital Concert Hall, May 9, 2021

Das Lied Von Der Erde was written at the most tragic phase of the life of a composer who tends to be considered a tragic figure, Gustav Mahler. He had resigned as Director of the Vienna Court Opera due to perceived anti-Semitism, his eldest daughter had died suddenly and he had been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition which would restrict his life expectancy to his mid fifties (nowadays it would be curable).

He already had a morbid, superstitious personality and a ‘Dread of the Ninth’, a myth that no one after Beethoven could exceed the composition of nine symphonies, so it is hardly surprising that his next major work would be introspective focusing as it does on earth’s beauty and the transience of life using as its text French translations of classical Chinese poetry. The composer in fact referred to it as a Symphony for Voices but gave it no number.

Arnold Schoenberg adapted the work for voices and chamber orchestra in 1921 with the help of Anton Webern. It was this version that was played at the finale of the Canberra International Festival of Music, and Melbourne Digital Concert Hall worked wonders in the transformation to online performance.

The Kristian Winther quartet were joined by Sally-Anne Russell (mezzo soprano), Andrew Goodwin (tenor), members of the Festival Winds plus double bass and keyboard.

It would be trite to say that Mahler overcame his fears in this work but it does in fact have a sad texture, as do the words of the poetry. The work is in six movements alternating between the two soloists. ‘The Drinking Song of Earth’s Sorrow, the ‘Solitary One in Autumn’, ‘Of Youth’, ‘Of Beauty’, ‘The Drunkard in Spring’, and ‘The Farewell’ all exhibit the brilliant technique of Mahler and the contrasts grab the attention of the listener. There is an optimistic ending declaring, ‘the dear earth everywhere blossoms in spring and grows green anew, Everywhere and forever blue is the horizon’. Even with these happy words, the music has a sense of foreboding.

In this performance of Mahler’s work the soloists excelled themselves and brought to light the tone of the poem while the quartet and orchestral members gave an immaculate performance melding well with the voices… it was very rewarding listening.

Post script – Mahler did give his next symphony, the number nine, and started a tenth but couldn’t finish it before his death! Was his premonition self-fulfilling?