Mahler (1860-1911) - Das Lied von der Erde : C.Davis / Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Soffel, Riegel (1988) - Import DVD

TV Standard: NTSC
Color: Colour

Credits:

Howells / Intende Voci Ensemble / Guadagnini

Description:

Mahler's (1860-1911) "Ode to the Earth," effectively his "ninth" symphony, is a work that represents an even newer experiment for the composer, who had previously reworked the traditional symphonic form. The "Ode to the Earth" is in the form of a duet sung by two solo singers, an alto and a tenor, who take turns singing. There is a theory that Mahler did not give this work a "ninth" for fear of the "ninth jinx...that if he wrote a symphony with this number, like Beethoven or Bruckner, he might die out," but again, this work is different from ordinary symphonies. The form of the symphony would be continued in Zemlinsky's "Lyric Symphony" and Shostakovich's "Song of the Dead" (Symphony No. 14). The text is a selection of seven poems from "The Chinese Flute," a collection of poems compiled and translated into German by Hans Bethge, creating a unique world of deep pessimism and longing for the days of youth.This performance was recorded in 1983, when Colin Davis had just been appointed chief conductor of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, and here, too, he gives an extremely ambitious performance. The soloists are also in fine form, with tenor Kenneth Riegel's youthful voice and renowned Mahler singer Doris Zoffel's excellent singing. Naxos Japan