It's in the Blood

 

Mahler's Das Klagende Lied is a cantata for chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra.

The story it tells is terrifically dark-wooded, one which Mahler based on Grimm's fairy tale, The Singing Bone.

This puts the work very much in the vein of Bartók's Cantata Profana or Dvořák's The Water Goblin. Death, betrayal, woods-folk, queens and hands in marriage, mystical musical instruments, and inevitable destruction are all set pieces in this musical tale.

Das Klagende Lied is also one of Mahler's earliest works. A young Mahler must have had magical forest murmurs in his blood, for the composer regales his listeners with hunting horns and birdsong amongst mystical, woodsy sounds in so much of his music, especially early on.

 

This RCA release, and later SFS Media, remains a wonderful modern-era recording. Pierre Boulez might have the edge in this work historically, the 70s recording on Sony, but it doesn't take away from this live-recorded event from the 90s, the live aspect completely hidden from my ears.

San Francisco brings this music alive with terrific playing and Michael Tilson Thomas paces the bloated three movements beautifully over its 67 minutes.

The soloists are equally fine, even if Thomas Moser, here at 50, sounds a little put out by this music. While I would like the chorus a little closer, I was quite happy with their output.

Still a recording worth hearing, although seek out Boulez's early recording on Sony too. The music is darkly-forested, with Mahler in full Brothers Grimm mode, and it is a wonderful early score from the composer.

Listen on YouTube

Work
Das Klagende Lied

  I. Waldmärchen (30.25)
 II. Der Spielmann (16.55)
III. Hochzeitsstück (19.39)

Soloists
Marina Shaguch, soprano
Michelle DeYoung, alto
Thomas Moser, tenor
Sergei Leiferkus, baritone

Ensembles
San Francisco Symphony Chorus
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

Label: RCA
Year: 1997
Total Timing: 67.12

 

 

This remains one of a few go-to recordings of Mahler's early cantata, with a special feeling from its live occasion.

As far as the music, if you like any of the aspects described above, this work is a no-brainer.

Enter ye who may!

 

 

 

 

Find more Mahler recordings HERE!