das lied von der erde
mahler’s song cycle in an arrangement of reinbert de leeuw
programme
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Das Lied von der Erde, eine Symphonie für eine Tenor- und eine Alt- (oder Bariton-) Stimme und Orchester (arr. Reinbert de Leeuw)
about
No other composer bade farewell to the world as eloquently, as evocatively and as frequently as Gustav Mahler. Death rears its head again and again throughout his oeuvre: sometimes gentle and reassuring, sometimes savage and intense. Das Lied von der Erde, composed during an extremely difficult period of his life, is no exception to this.
Mahler based Das Lied von der Erde on very free and romanticised translations of ancient Chinese poetry by the German poet Hans Bethge. In these lyrics, a sudden awareness of one’s own mortality brings about a hedonistic enjoyment of the beauty of nature. The final movement bids a resigned farewell.
The recently deceased composer, conductor and pianist Reinbert de Leeuw wrote a new arrangement of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. His version has a songlike intimacy, and is the last score he completed before his death.
find out more
Full programme and extra information
Texts and translations
watch now
Watch Das Lied von der Erde on 26 March at 21:00 for the premiere via Podium 19. Or watch the performance when you like via on demand until the end of April.
Watch via Proximus Pickx on 24 March at 19:00 or on demand until the end of March.
Podium 19 on your television
On Proximus Pickx channel 19 or channel 269 from Brussels or Wallonia (attention: only available for the Proximus Pickx subscription) or on Telenet TV channel 99 (attention: only available for Telenet digital TV) or on Orange TV channel 20.
credits
coproduction
Klarafestival, BOZAR
streamed from / in collaboration with
la Monnaie/de Munt
image © Bruno Bonansea
