Introduction Lieder fur Singstimme

 In the early years of Mahler’s conducting career, composing was a spare time activity. Between his Laibach and Olmütz appointments he worked on settings of verses by Richard Leander and Tirso de Molina, later collected as Volume I of Lieder und Gesänge (“Songs and Airs”).

• Tirso de Molina is a pseudonym of Gabriel Tellez (born: 1579 in Madrid, died: 1648 in Almazan, Spain). Monk and poet.
• Richard Leander is a pseudonym of Richard Volkmann (1830-1889). Surgeon and poet.

Tirso de Molina (Gabriel Tellez).

Richard Volkmann (1830-1889) (Richard Leander).

Five Songs for Voices and Piano (Fünf Lieder und Gesänge für eine Singstimme und Klavier, 1880-1887). Forming part I of Lieder und Gesange, entitled after Mahler’s death: Lieder aus der Jugendzeit. Text: Tirso de Molina, Richard Leander (Richard Volkmann (1830-1889)) and Gustav Mahler.

• Lied 1: Fruhlingsmorgen
• Lied 2: Erinnerung
• Lied 3: Hans und Grethe
• Lied 4: Serenade aus Don Juan
• Lied 5: Phantasie aus Don Juan