- 1908: Year 1908.
- 1908: Sketches in 7 to 8 weeks in Toblach, 1908-1910 Hotel Trenkerhof, 1908-1910 Hotel Trenkerhof (Composing cottage). Altschluderbach.
- 1908: 00-06-1908 until 07-1908: Priliminary drafts.
- 1908: 00-07-1908: Composition Lied 2: Der Einsame im Herbst.
- 1908: 00-08-1908: Toblach: Visit by Paul Hammerschlag (1860-1933): He heard Mahler expressing ...
Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) is a composition for two voices and orchestra by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). Composed between Year 1908 and Year 1909 following the most painful period in Mahler's life (Year 1907). The songs address themes such as Living, Parting and Salvation.
Mahler had already included ...
Drinking song of the world's misery
- Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde.
- Key: a minor.
- Allegro pesante. (Cheerful heavy.)
- After Chinese poet: Li Bai.
- Voice: Tenor.
- Duration: 8 minutes.
The first movement continually returns to the refrain, Dunkel ist das Leben, ist der Tod (literally, 'Dark is life, is death'), ...
The lonely man in autumn
- Der Einsame im Herbst.
- Key: d minor.
- Etwas schleppend. Ermudet. (Somewhat dragging. Weary.)
- After Chinese poet: Qian Qi.
- Voice: Alto (or Baritone).
- Solo: Windinstruments.
- Duration: 10 minutes.
This movement is a much softer, less turbulent movement. Marked 'somewhat dragging and exhausted', it begins with a repetitive ...
Of youth
- Von der Jugend.
- Key: B-flat Major.
- First scherzo.
- Behaglich heiter. (Comfortably cheerful.)
- After Chinese poet: Li Bai.
- Voice: Tenor.
- Duration: 3 minutes.
The third movement is the most obviously pentatonic and faux-Asian. The form is ternary, the third part being a greatly abbreviated revision of the first. It is ...
Of beauty
- Von der Schonheit.
- Key: G Major.
- Comodo. Dolcissimo. (Comfortable. Very sweet.)
- After Chinese poet: Li Bai.
- Voice: Alto (or Baritone).
- Duration: 8 minutes.
The music of this movement is mostly soft and legato, meditating on the image of some 'young girls picking lotus flowers at the riverbank'. Later ...
The drunk man in spring
- Der Trunkene im Fruhling.
- Key: A Major.
- Second scherzo.
- Allegro. Keck, aber nicht zu schnell. (Audacious, but not too fast.)
- After Chinese poet: Li Bai.
- Voice: Tenor.
- Solo: Violin and flute.
- Duration: 4 minutes.
The second scherzo of the work is provided by the fifth movement. Like ...
The farewell
- Der Abschied.
- Key: C minor to C Major.
- Schwer. (Heavy).
- After Chinese poets: Mong Kao Yen and Wang Sei.
- Voice: Alto (or Baritone).
- Solo: Mandolin, harp, celesta.
- Duration: 31 minutes.
The final movement is nearly as long as the previous five movements combined. Its text is drawn from two ...
Woodwind
- 1 Bass clarinet A.
- 1 Bass clarinet B.
- 3 Bassoon. Solo in Lied 2: Der Einsame im Herbst.
- 3 Clarinet B.
- 1 Clarinet Eb.
- 1 Contra bassoon. Solo in
- 1 Cor Anglais (English horn).
- 3 Flute. Solo in Lied 5: Der Trunkene im Fruhling, Lied 6: Der Abschied.
- 3 Oboe.
- 1 Oboe ...