Gustav Mahler's Everlasting Influence, by Payman Akhlaghi (2001, v01a) A Brief Discussion of "Der Abschied" from "Das Lied von der Erde"

8/8/2019 Gustav Mahler's Everlasting Influence, by Payman Akhlaghi (2001, v01a) A Brief Discussion of "Der Abschied" from

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Cop right: 2001 Pa man Akhlaghi. All rights reserved. Cop right: 2010 Pa man Akhlaghi. All rights reserved.

Gustav Mahlers Everlasting Influence

A Brief Discussion ofDer AbschiedFrom Das Lied von der Erde

By: Payman Akhlaghi

Music 266AProfessor Paul Reale

UCLA

Fall 2001*

* The paper was created and submitted later

ith a generous extension granted by the

Prof. due to special circumstances.Wednesday, March 20, 2002


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A Brief Discussion of Der Abschied By: Payman Akhlaghi

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Preface

For many decades, the widely adopted narrative of the history of music in the

twentieth century seemed to have left Mahler behind, buried with reverence, in the

remnants of the Late Romanticism. Yet, neither his progressive aesthetics were fully

compatible with the sensitivities of Romanticism [for example, his adventures in time and

tonality and the treatment of dissonances were atypical to a Romantic ear], nor his music

was containable within the then predominant definitions of twentieth-century Modernism

[too tonal; too lyrical]. Thus, he was forced to live in a limbo, shortly existing in a few

last pages on the Late Romantics, a few first pages on the early Modernists, and the dark

shadow in between. His Yiddish Accent and background had only added to the extra-

musical impediments and had cost him almost a perfect silence in the wartime Nazi

societies. Outside Austria and Germany still a foreigner, he was not received without

reservations, either. Donald Mitchell, the noted Mahler specialist, recalls an Eric Blom in

the first half of the past century, telling him authoritatively that Wethe English, that

isjust dont want Mahler here, as if the composer was some kind of unwelcome

musical immigrant, to be repelled if he dared to approach our shores (Mitchell, 1968).

Mitchell further relates that in England before the 60s, performances of Mahlers music

were rare and scattered, and often consisted of isolated movements of larger works (ibid).

But Mahler managed to survive the oblivion, in part due to the advocacy of the

likes of Bruno Walter, Otto Klemperer and Willem Mengelberg, and eventually, a timely

resurgence of his music was championed in the 1960s by Leonard Bernstein (Schiff,

2001). And resurgence it was: today, Mahlers music has become the central piece of


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symphonic seasons (Mitchell, 1968); he is now the most frequently performed composer

of our time (Schiff, 2001, and Reale, 2001); his influential role in the history of music is

increasingly better recognized in the scholarly realm.

The mere persistence and increasing prevalence of this revival hints at the

relevance of Mahler and his music to the contemporary humane and artistic sensitivities,

far beyond potentially political considerations. Warm embrace of this music by the

general public points to the congenially emotional cords with which it resonates, while

the ever-increasing professional attention being parted on it is an indication of its

musically progressive elements. Mahler had much to offer his immediate successors, and

perhaps even more, to those who would re-discover his music anew, with a gaze, almost a

hundred years later.

In Mahlers world, technique, meaning and composers personality are fully

intertwined. In fact, it appears that no commentary on this music could remain indifferent

to its connotations, or to the composers mind, life and spirit. Often, biographical

information can even clarify some aspects of the music that might otherwise appear

puzzling. For example, an awareness of the autobiographical significance of the

embedded Marches and Lndlers in a number of his symphonies (e.g. the Firstand the

Fourth) could rectify a sense of structural inconsistency that might otherwise impede a

full appreciation of these works. This hints to the subtlety, breadth and sophistication of

his innovations in matters of form and structure, as well as the symbolic aspect of his

music. To put it more succinctly, his is a music so sincere and personal that its syntax and

semantics could hardly be dissociated one from the other. Yet, his music also defies

excessive programmaticism, as only a slight suggestion of those extra-musical


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associations suffices to give the music an independently cohesive life of its own in the

mind of the listener.

Approached from this angle, we might notice not only the association of abstract

sounds and tangible meaning, but also the fact that some of his purely musical

innovations are a direct result of expressive needs and semantic considerations.

Notwithstanding the general difficulty of establishing with any degree of certainty the

expressive origins of abstract musical ideasand Mahlers music is not an exceptionto

our help comes the fact that a major portion of his output employed words as the

associate vehicles of musical thoughts. Besides his important song-cycles, such as Lieder

eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer) and especially, Kindertotenlieder

(Songs on the Deaths of Children), he also used words to clarify his ideas even in a

certain number of his more abstract works, i.e. the symphonies (Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 8). But

perhaps even more consequentially is the case ofDas Lied von der Erde, The Song of

the Earth, where such integration of music and meaning, words and sounds, elevates to a

higher-order union of two genres and their associated formssymphony and Lieder

besides radical temporal, melodic, harmonic, textural and timbral influences. This is most

prominently evident in the Finale of the workDer Abschied, or The Farewell. Here,

composers philosophical reflections on life and death, compounded with the recent

tragic events in his personal life, influenced both the literary and the musical elements of

the piece, from the selection and manipulation of the words, to minute musical decisions.

As Das Lied von der Erde patiently approaches the last measures ofDer Abschied, the

hitherto acquired perception of time [at least in the immediate history of Western music]

as a function of an established, regulated pulse, is evoked, challenged, transcended, and


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eventually, altered for good. And this is only one of the many contributions ofDas Lied

von der Erde, and in particular, its Abschiedto the future of music.

In the present paper, following a brief overview of the entire symphony, the

discussion will focus on Der Abschied, in an attempt to explore some of its most salient

characteristics.

***


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An Overview ofDas Lied von der Erde

Background

Das Lied von der Erde, henceforth Das Lied, was composed1

in 1908-09, one year

after the tragic death of the composers eldest daughter, Maria, in the summer of 1907,

which was further complicated by the unexpected, simultaneous diagnosis of the fatal

condition of Mahlers heart, and hence, the news of the imminence of his own death.

Although Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) lived long enough to also complete his Symphony

No. 9 and the Adagio of the Tenth Symphony, his untimely death, at the age of 51,

deprived him of hearing a live performance ofDas Lied. It was Bruno Walter, the

composers conducting protg, long-time friend, and life-long advocate, who would

premiere the work in Munich, in November of 1911, almost seven months after

composers final departure. Notably, Walter was possibly the first to have acquired an

intimate knowledge of the score directly from the composer; indeed, Mahler himself had

entrusted the premiere to his hands.

Das Liedcan be viewed largely as the culmination of Mahlers longtime, perhaps

intuitive, quest for and ideally cohesive convergence of two rather distinct worlds of

symphony and song-cycle, both of which he held equally dearone signifying the public

side, and the other representing the private side of his personality. Essentially, the

problem was set forth first by Beethoven in the Finale ofThe Ninth: the introduction of

1 The exact dates of composition are debated by scholars. See Hefling, 1999.


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words, and thus, human voice, into theuntil thenpurely instrumental genre of

symphony. But for Mahler, the project eventually found much broader dimensions: how

to bring the voice and the words into the symphonic world without subordinating one to

the other. In other words, how to make words, and voice, an integrated part of the totality

of the composition, as opposed to a mere accident of it.

Along this path, Mahler first created symphonies that respectfully invited large

vocal forces (No. 2) or even a single soprano line (No. 4) into their chambers, as well as

song-cycles for voice and orchestra that manifested conspicuous symphonic ambitions

(e.g. Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen

2

of 1883-93; Fnf Lieder nach Rckert

3

of 1901-

02). By 1906, the project seems to have taken a clearer shape; the Eighth Symphony, a

more or less thorough setting of a medieval hymn (Veni, Creator Spiritus) and the last

scene of Goethes Faust, called for 8 vocal soloists, a double choir and a boys choir, to

sing along with the orchestra, in the manner of a cantata or an oratorio. The consistent

presence of the human voice throughout the entire work proved an appropriate device to

avoid the problem of sub-ordination; but the overall segmented form of the work seems

to have compromised its symphonic aspect, while its enormous proportions appear to

have deprived it of a sense of intimacy.

With Das Lied, Mahler seems to have found the ultimate solution to the problem,

elements of which had so far lived in two parallel worldssong-cycles vs. symphonies

one that was as elegant as simple. The solution, he realized, lied in the fact that if a

coherent work is intended, words and voices could not come into the symphonic world

2 Songs of a Wayfarer3 Five Songs after Rckert, or for short, The Five Rckert Songs


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devoid of their own means of organization; the symphony too had to meet them halfway.

In other words, the solution lied not in a mere interdigitation of voice and symphony, but

in a fundamentally mutual approach between their musical traditionsthat is the fusion

of two genres and their associated forms, namely the symphony and the song-cylce

traditions. This fact is also reflected in the subtitle of the work, Eine Symphonie fr eine

Tenor- und eine Alt- (oder Bariton-) Stimme und Orchester (nach Hans Bethges Die

chinesische Flte.

Overall Design of the Symphony

Das Liedis the result of this fusion, a highly sophisticated hybrid of symphony

and Lieder. Distinctly conceived in 6 movements, it could still be viewed in two parts,

with Part I consisting of the first 5, and Part II, the final movement Der Abschied, h.f.

Abschied, which at about 29 minutes, is almost as long as the previous 5, altogether. The

entire work is orchestrated for large symphony orchestra with added instruments (notably

mandolin, celesta, extended winds and percussions, including tam-tam), besides one solo

vocalist in each movement. The vocal part alternates between solo tenor in the odd, and

solo alto in the even numbered movements. The composer has allowed for the alto to be

substituted with a baritone, although it seems prudent to follow Bruno Walters practical

advice and avoid the succession of two mail voices.4

The movements also alternate in mood and tempiI, III and V are primarily fast,

energetic and either rhapsodic (I), or joyful (III and V); IV explores a variety of tempi

4 See footnote 37 of Hefling, 1999.


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[following the images of the words] before it settles for a thin, slow ending at a pppp

dynamic; II and especially VI are slow and melancholic, and they touch on the heavy and

dark side of the compositional palette of the piece.

While the massive dimensions of the work undeniably remind us of Mahler the

symphonist, its personal tone and reflective dramatic content represent more of Mahler,

the song-writer5. Indeed, it is generally believed that the most immediate predecessor to

Das Liedis not one of his symphonies, but one of his song-cycles: the five

Kindertotenlieder6

of 1901- 04. H. F. Redlich has maintained that the style of

confessional intimacy [ofKindertotenlieder] achieved a final climax of refinement in

Mahlers greatest and last cycle of songs only: In the valedictory vocal symphony of

Das Lied von der Erde (Redlich, 1961). In general, they both share in a clearly divided

movemental structure, a highly selective, generally thin, and extremely imaginative

orchestration, and composers signature lyricism. Das Lied also further extends the

heterophonic techniques ofKindertotenlieder, and also reminds of their orientalistic

atmosphere and melodic content. Isolating Der Abschiedhenceforth Abschiedthe

serene and private mood of the 5 Kindertotenliedernominates them as the closest

precursors to this sublime movement. And of course, the two works still share in one

similar pre-occupation: the enigma of death. For considering the literary content of its

text and its unusual, tranquil and increasingly disintegrated ending, Das Liedcan be

clearly understood as a meditation on life, death and the question of immortalityor to

be more exact, as a journey towards coming to terms with mortality.

5 Mahler, in part to emphasize the Lieder aspect ofDas Lied, the symphony, himself also prepared its

reduced version for piano and voice.6 Songs on the Deaths of Children, or for short, Songs of Childrens Death


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Finally, the real-life circumstances surrounding the composition of the work, as

well as its conceptual content and formal relations, especially its ending in a long, serene

movement, bring more than Kindertotenliederto mind: Tchaikovskys Sixth Symphony,

which similarly opts for a calm ending, is believed by some to have been prompted by a

knowledge of his death in the near future. Perhaps, in the words of a commentator,

Mahler too was writing his own epitaph.7

The Text ofDas Lied

Following the tragic events of the summer of 1907, Mahler soon found solace in a

newly published collection of poems, called Die chinesische Flte (1907), or The

Chinese Flute, seven of which he selected and eventually organized into the 6

movements ofDas Lied. The collection was the work of Hans Bethge, and it consisted of

a set ofNachdichtungen, or paraphrased poems, based on previous French and German

translations of original, centuries-old Chinese poetry. While the authenticity of the

individual poems, especially those used in Das Lied, has been subject of much scrutiny

and scholarly debate, nevertheless, it was this collection that Mahler first encountered and

felt to be close to what he needed for his future composition. The poems could have

appealed to the composer for reasons far beyond his sensitive psychological state at the

time, or a superficial attraction toward the exotic, oriental aura of the poems. These

poems resonated deeply with Mahlers long-time affinity toward a form of oriental

7 Amid the aforementioned comparison, few other compositions have managed to achieve the convincing

manner in which Das Liedcomes to its open-ended conclusion in the final bars ofAbschied. Years later, in

regards to this very section of the piece, Britten would write to a friend, I might possibly have gone on

repeating the last record indefinitely for Ewig keit, of course. It is cruel, you know, that music should be

so beautiful (Mitchell, 1985).


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philosophy and the idea of mystical rebirth that he had inherited earlier through the

poetry of Rckert and Goethe, and the philosophies of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche

(Hefling, 1999)hence the Orientalism ofDas Lied.

Comparative studies of the final text of the symphony8

and the original versions

by Bethge, as well as Mahlers compositional sketches (Mitchell, 1985), have

demonstrated clearly the composers extreme deliberation in selecting the text. Most

conspicuously, he changed one of the titles (the joyful mvt. III) from Der Pavillon aus

Porzellan9

to Von der Jugend10

, perhaps to make its sense more consistent with the

overall tone of the work. He also edited the text of the first poem to make it accommodate

for the intended [sonata] form of the opening movement, i.e. Das Trinklied vom Jammer

der Erde11. Even more consequentially, he tied two poems by two poets into the text of

Abschied, modified both of them, and himself added some of the most crucial lines to the

final text. Notably amongst these additions is the last stanza, mostly the work of Mahler

himself:

Die Liebe Erde, allberall

Blht auf im Lenz und grnt aufs neu!

Allberall und Ewig blauen licht die Fernen,

EwigEwig!12

8 In reference to Das Lied, I will use the terms symphony and song-cyle, as well as movement andsong interchangeably.9 The Pavilion of Porcelain10 Of Youth11 The Drinking Song of Earths Sorrow12 For a complete text and translation of the poetry, see Mitchell (1985), Cooke (1980), or Dovers

republication of the score ofDas Lied.


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He also changed the point of view of the last poem from first person to third [a

few verses before the above citation]. Mitchell (1985) much convincingly concludes that

this alteration is a surely suggests Mahler himself as the protagonist ofAbschied. In the

end, the last words of the text, EwigEwig! (that is ForeverForever!) would

ultimately provide the best opportunity for the memorable, open-ended sense of the

closing ofAbschied, which is so vital to the concept of the piece.

It is also observable that Das Liedpartially hints at the cycle of seasons, two of

which are even reflected by name in the titles (autumn, in mvt. II, and spring in mvt. V).

The joyful Von der Jugend(mvt. III) much seems to depict a scene from the summer, and

winter seems to be suggested by Abschied, at the end of which spring and the re-

awakening of the earth are associated with spiritual rebirth and eternity. Meanwhile, the

vicinity of these diverse poems results in a halo of nostalgia surrounding the otherwise

carefree poem of III, and it further intensifies the sarcasm of Der Trunkene im Frhling13

(mvt. V). In other words, in the light of the whole, the more joyful sections and tempi

appear as nostalgic remembrances by the dying protagonist of Abschied.

Such minute attention to textual details of the work in effect testifies to the degree

of semantic influences on the compositions musical decisions, while the order of the text

results in the large-scale dramatic scheme ofDas Lied. But it is also clear that often, the

text was modified for musical needs (Mitchell, 1985). Evidently, the texts themselves

were carefully selected and manipulated to serve certain fundamental concepts that would

yield in the totality of the workconcepts and ideas that apparently had been very clear

to the composer even at the seminal stages of composition. Indeed, it was the ultimate

13 The Drunkard in Spring


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interplay of words and music that would reveal the essential ideas behind Das Lied, some

of which could have never been fully captured by mere words.

***

Der Abschied

Abschiedfirst depicts a lonely picture of twilight, as the speaker (in first person)

laments on his longing for a friend who has been late to their meeting. Then (in the

second poem), the final farewell of the two is narrated in the objective voice of third

person: He alighted from his horse and handed him the drink of farewell. When asked

about his destination, he replies, [] I journey to my homeland, to my resting place.

[] My heart is still and awaits its hour! Finally, the last stanza [Mahlers lines] sees

the promise of eternity in the re-awakening of the earth at the threshold of the spring.

(See above, under The Text ofDas Lied).

The change of voice and the ambiguity of the two third person masculine

pronouns of the second poem have somehow obfuscated the narrative. Who is leaving

whom? Which one asks the question and who replies? Amid the debates surrounding this

subject (Mitchell, 1985), there should be no confusion about the main outline of

Abschied: someone is saying farewell to another oneforever. With an eye on one of the

well-known biblical texts, Song of Songs, perhaps this is a symbolic representation of a

soul that is leaving its body. And if so, this is Mahler himself, who first speaks of

expecting of the moment of farewell, and next, takes the position of an impartial

spectator, and comments in an objective tone on the scene of their [his] departure.


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The private world ofAbschied, from its dramatic content to its sense of time and

space, is so removed from the hitherto expectations surrounding the finale of a

symphony. It is hard to imagine if anyone but Mahler the conductor/song-

writer/symphonist could have discovered orchestras potential for intimacy.

Large-Scale Formal Strategies

In order to create a unified hybrid throughout Das Lied, Mahler juxtaposes the

traditional strophic procedures and/or rounded binary forms (ABA), both common to

vocal styles, on the symphonic forms, such as sonata, rondo-variation, or extended

rounded binary forms.

The sonata aspect is mostly conspicuous in mvt. I, Das Trinklied vom Jammer der

Erde. There, strophes 1 and 2 form the body of the two expositions, and the 3rd

strophe

acts as the recapitulation of the movement. An instrumental bridge heralds the second

exposition (Figs. 12 to 15)14

; a 12-measure codetta at Fig. 24 brings the music to an

instrumental interlude that functions as the development section of the movement (Figs.

25 to 31); and after the extended 3rd

strophe (i.e. the recapitulation), a 13-bar orchestral

codetta (Fig. 48 to the end) brings and abrupt, unresolved closure to the movement. The

developmental treatment of each motive, besides contrasting tonal relations of the

14 Fig. numbers refer to the rehearsal numbers in Dovers 1988 republication of the 1912 Universal Editions

score. Fig. numbers followed by + or sign indicate the number of measures after or before the given

rehearsal number, e.g. Fig. 63 +5 means 5 bars including and after 63.


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episodes15

, reaffirm the sonata aspect of the movement (Mitchell, 1985, and esp. Hefling,

1999, Diagram 19.2). [Contrastingly, mvts. III, IV and V employ a broad ABA outline.]

Abschiedtoo, at one level, could be considered a sonata: after the short, but

patient orchestral introduction, two recitative-aria(s) complexes ensue that function as

two expositions; next, an extended instrumental section develops the March motive that

has been initially heard in the introduction, and as such, can be considered the

development of the sonata; thereafter, follows another recitative-aria complex, which at

Fig. 59, leads to the extended coda of the piecethe renowned section of Ewig.

But an exclusive submission to this analysis could also risk an oversimplification

of the multi-layered, intuitive and highly original form of this movement. Indeed, the

freely episodic, segmented, and yet inter-related form ofAbschiedallows for more than

one interpretation. Mitchell (1985) proposes a much convincing scheme, which allows

for both interpretations (my summary):

Unit 1 Unit 2

Prelude/Recit.1/Aria 1/Aria 2/Coda + Transition Recit. 2/Aria 3 (2 strophes)/Transition

2 strophes

Unit 3 (instrumental) Unit 4

15 The main tonality of this movement is a [A-minor]. The large-scale tonal scheme is organized around a-

g-ab-a, while many other key areas are also explored, including the relative major, C. One of its

consequential modulatory moves is the parallel and relative minor/major mode oscillations, e.g. between

a/A or a/C. See Hefling, 1999, Diag. 19.2.


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Prelude/March/Coda+ transition Recit. 3, now including reprise of Aria 1/Reprise of Aria 2/

Reprise of Aria 3/Coda (Ewig)

[On another level, Abschiedalso suggests a rondo-variation form, where each

return of the recitative-aria complex can be thought of as a free variation on the first

group, while the orchestral introductions and the central march are viewed as variations

and/or developments of the prelude, with an overall scheme of A B A' B' A" B".]

Meanwhile, the Bailey-Hefling formal analysis of the movement (Hefling, 1999;

Diag. 19.4) does not seem to be fully convincing. Their proposed large-scale binary

division finds its fault at the junction of the two poems. Although initially an appealing

hypothesis, it is not necessarily supported by the composition itself. This division is

clearly based on a knowledge of the origins of the text, i.e. its two composing poems; but

the ultimate version used in the work is Mahlers, more or less, seamlessly modified text

with a coherently continuous narrative. This makes their proposed point of division rather

arbitrary, as far as the overall impact of the music is concerned. Besides, Mitchells

perception of the recitatives as introductions to their following strophic arias is audibly

more acceptable than Bailey-Heflings inclination to think of them as conclusions for

their preceding orchestral preludes.

Still, on its most obvious level, Abschiedis a strophic setting of two poems, to

whose dramatic content it fully adheres.


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Micro-Level Means of Coherence

Das Lied, and in particular, Abschied, also rely on certain detailed structural

devices, some of which are highly original, to achieve its ultimate structural unity.

Pentatonicism

Orientalism is not a mere superficial accident to Abschied, but an intrinsic

element of its fabric, and one of its most fundamental expressions can be observed in the

partial origins of its thematic material, and indeed that of the entire symphony.

Throughout Das Lied, Mahler has drawn extensively upon using pentatonic material,

both the anhemitonic (Chinese) and hemitonic (Japanese) versions. (The former set

contains no semi-tones, while the latter does. See Hefling 1999, for a detailed listing of

these modes.)

Mahler managed to create certain melodic motivesor cells out of these modes

that would eventually allow him to undermine the dominant-tonic relationship in the

Western music (Hefling, 1999). Not only the inherent intervallic structures of these

[recurring] motives, but also their subsequent harmonic treatments by the composer,

dissociated them from ostensible tonal associations (Reale, 2001). These returning

intervallic material comprise one of the subtle means of cohesion within and between

movements. Furthermore, their occasional vertical alignments also yield in some of the

identifiable harmonic material of the work.

Lets cite some examples. Mvt. I opens with the following line (Ex. 1):


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A Brief Discussion of Der Absc

Co Co

The A-G-E head motive of t

Einsame im Herbst16, althou

the oboe gives (the first?) in

into the line (Ex. 2):

Eventually, the coda

form (Figs. 63 to 68), and e

form of a C+6

chord (Am7, i

that in the words of Britten,

final chord is printed on atm

Marginal to our discu

conspicuously presented at t

as well as in mvt. IV at Fig. 1

16 The Lonely One in Autumn

hied By: Payman

Page 18 of 41

p right: 2001 Pa man Akhlaghi. All rights reserved.p right: 2010 Pa man Akhlaghi. All rights reserved.

e strings alone provides for the opening for mv

h in a different rhythmic and timbral guise; soo

ication of a hemitonic mode by introducing the

fAbschied, brings back the A-G-E motive in it

ploys the vertical alignment of the A-C-E-G m

its first inversion), for its concluding sonority,

goes on forever, even if it is never performed a

sphere (quoted in Mitchell, 1985).

ssion, the pentatonic material is perhaps even

e beginning of mvt. III (Ex. 3):

+2 (Ex. 4):

khlaghi

. II, Der

n, at m. 7,

pitch Bb

s inverted

tive in the

a sonority

ain that

ore


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Co Co

and to a discernible extent, i

Rhythmic Relations of

More prominently, a

indeed, it has been. For exa

each begin with accentuated

gestural motive of the move

blows of the lower octave C

harps, cellos (pizz.), contra b

prepare to meet the penetrati

17 Mahler asks for Contrabasses th

orchestras only allows them to rea

scordatura technique should be e

in an unsuitably distorted sound.

hied By: Payman

Page 19 of 41


mvt. V.

Various Motives

opening such as Abschieds should have been

ple, as Mitchell too has noted (1985), mvts. III,

regular beats, the third of which coincides with

ent. Same is true of the opening ofAbschied; t

s, memorably orchestrated for counter-bassoon,

sses (pizz.)17

, and tam-tam, in an almost beat-l

g gesture of oboe 1 on their 3rd

occurrence (Ex.

t possess the counter-C. The common tuning of the bass

h the counter-D, through the use of an extension lever. It

ployed, as long as the release of the tension of the string

khlaghi

repared, and

IV and V,

the main

o dark

2 horns, 2

ss 4/4,

. 5):

s in todays

seems that the

does not result


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Co Co

The A-G-E-C motive

rhythmic value of three short

significance as a fate motive

Symbolism] also acts as a co

some of its appearances.

It first appears most c

motive of the horns (Ex. 1, a

(ibid), and soon in an inverte

The tenor too makes its abru

Considering its sema

embedded in the flutter-tong

(Ex. 8):

hied By: Payman

Page 20 of 41


of strings in mvt. 1 (Ex. 1) assumes a heavily a

and one long notes [ ], which besides

[it refers to Beethovens Fifth Symphony; see b

esive device between different movements. Le

learly in mm. 2-3 and 4-5 of mvt. I, in the eight

ove), then at mm. 8-9 in quarter-note values of

d form (Ex. 6):

t entrance by echoing the line a second lower (

tic significance, it is not surprising that the mo

ed flutes, themselves a symbol of the phantom

khlaghi

ccented

ts symbolic

low, under

ts examine

-note

the strings

x. 7):

ive is first

ape of death


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Co Co

Much later in the symphony

rhythm through quadruplet, a

way to gradually disperse its

to Fig. 30, Vn. 1&2; Fig. 32

in Abschiedare its unambigu

head-motive to the ruppetto

the March section, where it a

Even the altos recitatives ec

Melodic Contours

In this symphony, me

levels (see below, Symbolis

device. To begin, there is the

by the violins (Ex. 1), shapes

and ultimately resurfaces in

reinforces the internal unity

Furthermore, its insistent cha

Ewig at the end ofAbschie

hied By: Payman

Page 21 of 41


in Abschied, a successive transformation of this

nd then quintuplet rhythmic patterns, creates an

fatalistic character (cf. Abschied, Fig. 1 +4, Vn.

o 34, Vn. 1). Some of the other appearances of

ously accented form at mm. 12-13, Vn.1, where

gesture of m. 13, and also more consequentiall

cts as the head of the march theme, i.e.

o this motive at their very opening (cf. Ex. 12).

lodic contour not only have semantic significan

, and Interaction With Words), they also act as

unusually concave melodic shape that first star

the melodic world of alto in mvt. II (Fig. 3 +5

bschieds opening of the recitatives. Thus, it n

f each movement, but also that of the entire sy

racter provides a major contrast for the descend

.

khlaghi

triple

effective

1; Fig. 29 -5

this motive

it acts as the

, throughout

etc.

.

ce on many

a unifying

s in mvt. I

o Fig. 4 +2),

t only

phony.

ing lines of


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Systematic Use of Gestures

Gestures are an important aspect of Mahlers musical language (Reale, 2001), and

to our particular interest, that of Abschied. Throughout Das Lied, gestures not only

possess significant semantic values, but also provide another means of unity for the

composition.

Gestural motives are present indeed from the very first bar of mvt. 1an upbeat

leap of 4th

by hornsand can be seen in the flutter-tongued flutes of mm. 3-5 of the same

movement, the trill head-motive of mvt. IV, the ornamented head-motive of mvt. V, and

of course, the oboe entrance in the 3rd

bar ofAbschied. Typically, they have an

autonomous rhythmic, melodic and timbral identity that not only makes them memorable,

but also allows them to freely migrate between diverse key centers, quickly from new

tonal associations, and thus, connect different tonal areas with their own distinguishable

identitieshence, a more coherent structure.

The opening oboe gesture ofAbschiedis an excellent example. At first, this self-

contained ruppetto around C, audibly emphasizes the tonic of c. Soon its rhythmic (and

intervallic) content experience an augmentation process, until the first violins receive and

continue the line (with hints of C-major). At Fig. 2, oboe and flute daringly employ

octave-displacement to create a convex melodic line, which temporarily blurs the tonality

at its climax. Then, at Fig. 5+5, the gestural motive relocates to dominant degree of c, and

soon at Fig. 7+2, is heard as a ruppetto around the tonic of F(major), at Fig. 14 centers

around the dominant degree of d, and so forth.

The aural independence of these gestural motives allows them to be proximated in

different configurations against different motives and make varied, long melodic lines


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conservatism of such key relations (parallel and relative major and minor tonalities), Das

Liedachieves a tonal language that at times seems at the verge of what would later

become known as atonalism. The aforementioned inherent tonal ambiguity of

pentatonic cells is further complicated by restless modulations, extended chromaticism,

constant major-minor key oscillations (e.g. a/A or a/C, or c/C), and in the case of

Abschied, even juxtaposition of c and a, specifically afforded by the C+6

(the coda), as

well as modal obfuscation through simultaneous presentation of the modal degrees of Eb

and E in different lines, and thus, the uncertainty of c or C modes. The latter modal

ambiguity starts early on, at Fig. 1, by horns: they introduce E instead of Eb to their line,

and violins take over the major mode one measure later; but at m. 13, the minor is

reaffirmed. Toward the end, at Fig. 64 +8 to +10, the Eb (c minor) once more is

reminded, but soon resigns to E in the subsequent line, as the composition ends in C.

The local c/C oscillation also becomes a major large-scale binding element of

Abschied. The satisfactory resolution of the movement, sounding so natural to the ear, is

in part due to this gradual move from c to C. Therefore, Das Liedavoids tonal

conspicuity at the local level, while it maintains a high degree of coherence in its larger

tonal scheme.18

Timbral Strategies

Abschiedis also propelled by a deliberate orchestral scheme that combines

beautiful local sonorities with macro-level color distributions that parallel its precise

18 It should be noted that these modal shifts although subtle, take place rather suddenly, almost without

traditional harmonic preparations.


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tonal organization. Three of the most notable macro-level decisions in the piece are

reserving tam-tam for the opening ofAbschied, withholding celesta until the sublime

coda of the same movement (Fig. 61+4, as alto extends the word Ewig), and exposing

the tremolando mandolin sound19

only at Fig. 64, where it joins the celesta to further

enhance by its sheer timbre altos Ewig and clarify the beatific vision of oneness

with nature, or eternity.

Each return of the recitatives also employs an appropriate change of timbre. After

oboes solo, this is the flute that accompanies the voice in recit. 1 and 2, and in the third,

the mere silence above a pedal point in the strings (the lowest octave Cs). This is not

only a practical decision (oboe can hardly play that softly), but one that is consistent with

the timbral scheme of the movement.

As for the local sonorities, not only Abschied, but the entire Das Lied, is abundant

with colorful strokes of a master orchestrator. Besides the aforementioned examples (the

opening bars and coda ofAbschied), one can also cite the howling sound of flutter-

tongued flutes; the opening bars of mvt. 2 with its sudden textural reduction, scored for

violins and oboe; and the contrasting opening of mvt. IV.

As in his previous compositions, notably Kindertotenlieder, here too Mahlers

orchestration is highly selective. In Abschied, the composers signature treatment of the

space finds its most refined form, especially in the introduction, and in the closure on

Ewig. In general, the timbral progression ofAbschiedfrom its dark heavy opening

beats and the melancholy of solo oboe, to its final bright, open and yet calming barsis

one of the excellent examples of timbral modulation in the orchestral repertoire.

19 The mandolin has already has also been present in mvt. IV, but in a rather submerged role.


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Interaction of Words and Music

Das Liedis as much a song-cycle as a symphony; which means it also has to

vitalize and broaden the reach of the words of the text. The words and the drama have

had a crucial unifying role for the work, besides inspiring sonar effects. Overall, the

music follows the drama rather faithfully. At one level, is the task of portraying the

opposition of life and death, and the final resolution, through a dramatic scheme that sets

out from the warning of death (mvt. I), passes through meditations on loneliness (II),

carefree reflections on youth and beauty (III and IV), an attempt to ignore the reality (V),

and the arrival at the transforming experience of Abschied. In Abschied, against the free

gestural line of the oboe, a strict march-like motive, consisting of a descending sequence

of falling seconds, is first introduced by the horns and clarinets. With the two contrasting

ideas, the opposition of life and death is re-stated, each is further developed through the

movements (the free recitatives and arias, in contrast to the strict, extended death march

of the development), and the resultant tension is relieved in the coda.

The music has also been influenced by the text in its minute musical elements, not

only in Abschied, but also in all preceding movements. For example, in mvt. I, spring-

time breaks in with the leaping 4th

of two horns, at the very beginning of the work; the

shrieking howl (or laughter?) of a monkey (the phantom ape of death) is effectively

signified by flutter-tongued flutes; the refrain Dunkel is das Leben, ist der Tod20

20 Dark is life, is death


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Co Co

becomes painted with a desc

drama yields in another mea

tempibright and joyful for

Still Mahlers word-

simplistic relationa one-to

interact freely and more mea

tongued flutes of the first mo

of death, respectively, are pr

associations are directly esta

quality, a spatial existence, i

if the voice is commenting in

time and space, and as if the

from the outset. Such free int

movements of the piece, as

Movement II assume

depicts the floating bluish

floating line of oboe over a s

reflected in the concave voca

And yet, its consequent portr

10):

hied By: Payman

Page 27 of 41


nding vocal line that ends in a melismatic cade

s of control for the orchestral density and succe

the happy mvts. III to V; dark and slow for VI.

ainting or concept-depiction does not positi

one correspondencewith the text, but rather

ingfully. For example, the leaping 4th

and the f

vement, which signify the breaking in of spring

sented in the orchestra long before their seman

lished by the words. This gives the movement

addition to its temporal dimension. As a result

time on a visual installment of nature that exist

subject of the commentary has been fully availa

eractions and foreshadowing, are present in all

ell.

a decidedly dark color for the lonely one in a

ists over the lake [first line of the poem] literal

eady, yet asymmetric line by the violins. This i

l line of altos entrance (Ex. 9):

ays the standing blades of grass with a long as

khlaghi

ce; and the

ssion of

n music at a

akes them

lutter-

and the ape

ic

pictorial

, it seems as

s in both

ble to us

ther

tumn, and

ly by a

further

cent (Ex.


28/41


Co Co

In contrast, the porcelain pa

first in the orchestra, and nex

pavilion, but also puts it at s

movements. Its youthful ima

tempo of the movement (Ex.

And finally, in Abschied, bes

Altos first recitative

with an ascending line, both

And yet, in a gesture of repul

by practically contradicting t

hied By: Payman

Page 28 of 41


ilion of mvt. III is depicted by a convex melo

t by the tenor, which not only reflects the shape

arp contrast to the concave contours of the life

gery also determines the major mode tonality a

11):

ides our previous observations, we can still noti

depicts sunset with a descending line, and the

in the same phrase (Ex. 12):

sion, it reinforces the sadand grieving tone

e words (Ex. 13):

khlaghi

ic contour,

of the

-death

d joyous

ce that:

ountains

of the poem


29/41


Co Co

By now, it is clear th

down-pull of death and the u

until the very end ofAbschie

Ewig, and the flutes and ob

note, and rest on the treble A

harp calmly arpeggiates upw

major chord, and finally rest

interestingly enough, its first

movement is also reflected i

(c to C).

Meanwhile, the event

word EwigForeverand

composers ethereal notion o

layers ofAbschied, and inde

the orchestral fabric, introdu

prolonged note duration, a m

and a long diminuendo appr

effect. But Mahlers creative

structure of the piece starts t

hied By: Payman

Page 29 of 41


t concave melodic shapes through Das Liedrep

rising spirit of defiance. This challenge is not

, where the voice rests on downwardmotions

oe gradually withdraw from their pentatonic as

pitch. But as final gesture of a sublime ascent,

ard, covering two octaves through selected pitc

on the treble E, the first note of the Ewig mo

letter. On a larger scale, the dramatic contour o

its timbral procession (dark to light) and tonal

s of the coda are of prominent interest to us. Cl

hence, the concept of Ewigkeit (eternity), an

f this concept, comprise the most fundamental

d, Das Lied. The music captures this concept b

ing new colors (celesta and tremolando mando

ajor tonality (C), and a narrow tessitura in the v

aching the final pppin effect, a fully detailed

genius still goes one step further: at Fig. 65, th

imply both transfiguration and eternity by dro

khlaghi

resent the

ully resolved

n the

ent, note by

he second

es of a C

iveand

f the

progression

arly, the

especially,

ramatic

thinning

in), using

ocal line,

perdendosi

harmonic

ping out,


30/41


Page 30 of 41


one note at a time, until at the end only a treble A is kept hanging over the quiet C major

chord of the celli, first violins, and trombones (a C+6

chord, or an Am in its first

inversion.) The final chord, itself a juxtaposition of C and Am sonorities, sustains the

modal opposition of the symphony to the very last moment, although with a sense of

resolution.

To be more precise, at Fig. 64, after the entrance of mandolin, the music tries to

find a settling harmony around the dying alto line, Ewig, Ewig, on ED, D-C.

First, the flutes, celesta and sustained clarinets examine C major with an added 6 (C-E-G-

A). Soon, the clarinets and harp 1 introduce an Eb, which is taken up by the flutes, 2 bars

later (the last hint of minor mode of the opening). But the celesta counters them with an

Em arpeggio that it reiterates until Fig. 66 +5, when it is resolved into a C. Still, the

violins sustain a treble D, while flutes continue repeating the pentatonic cell of E-G-A

and the harps upper voices double the D of the strings. Alto returns at Fig. 67 5 but

only once sings Ewig on the notes ED. Its two subsequent returns also are identical

to this appearance. By Fig. 69, all active voices, but the flutes, have resolved into C

major.

This harmonic activity is controlled by Mahlers free contrapuntal style, which in

many respects (e.g. the inter-relation of lines) seems to be an extension of his

heterophonic style ofKindertotenliederindeed, a salient feature of his last

compositional period, in general, and that ofAbschied in particular. The dissolution into

Ewigkeit is in effect a freely organized interaction of selected notes from a C13

tertiary

harmonyin effect pitches of the C major tonal set, with an emphasis on the pentatonic

tones of the scale by the flutes. From a linear perspective, the effect is achieved as the


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primary lines (flutes, oboes and alto) gradually fail to complete their pitch-cells:

flutes/oboes (E-G-A-B) sound as if trying to reach the upper C, but never manage, and

they finally submit to remain on the A; alto seems to come back to reach the C of its

descending E-D-C, but this too fails and yields to stay on the D. Finally, by second harps

successful reach for the treble C, the protagonists serene resign to a transcendental death,

in a vision of becoming one with the nature and eternity becomes complete.

As for the vocal line, the voice is generally treated independently within the

orchestral fabric, while the meaningful interaction between the two is consistently

maintained. Throughout the symphony, the vocal line is rarely doubled, but antiphonal

correspondences are employed (in a very lose sense) to enhance the fusion of the voice

and the orchestra.

Metric Dissolution

In Abschied, gradually, yet inexorably, time and space are dissolving; so, too is

all striving toward definite musical goal (Hefling, 1999). The opening of Abschiedwith

its long, un-pulsated note durations, establishes an ambiguity of meter, which well

prepares the listener for the metrically free world of the recitatives, the gradual metric

dissolution through cross-rhythms, and finally, the ultimately meter-less ending of

Ewig. (For example, see Fig. 60 ff., where quadruplets and quintuplets are set against a

triple meter.) The effect is consistently underscored through the construction of

asymmetric phrase structures and the avoidanceor confusion ofperiodic phrasing

(Hefling, 1999). Besides, this timelessness is even more effectively sensed because of its


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sharp contrast to the strictly metered march motive, and its extensive development in the

middle of the movement.

The incrementally developed metric disintegration of Abschied so tightly

intertwined with its harmonic progression as well as the spatial organization of the

movement, are two intrinsic elements of the concept of the movement and one of the

most progressive aspects of this music. The semantic associations of such temporal and

spatial treatments of music in the context of Abschiedare so intense that it becomes

almost impossible to separate the dramatic concept of the movement from its purely

musical means.

bschiedand Symbolism

The close interaction of words and music suggests the symbolic aspect of

Mahlers musical language. Orientalism is signified not only by Pentatonicism and

instrumentation, but its essence is captured through the gradual dissolution of time and

space in the course of the movement. In the opening of Abschied, the dark colors of low

counter-bassoon and horn are further intensified by the resonant sonority of tam-tam, an

instrument known for its oriental associations. In this context, even the pizzicato of the

cellos and contra-basses and especially the ring of two harps low C, find an exotic aura.

This is while the very simpleness of the pitch materialan octave C in the lowest

registeralso establishes a connection with the mystical traditions of the world. In the

closing ofAbschied, celesta and mandolin still extend the air of the orient to the very last

bars of the movement.


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Page 33 of 41


Life and death are also presented in a prominently symbolic language. The

referential fate motive that runs through Das Lied(see above, Rhythmic Relations),

the howling ape of death (mvt. I), the march motive ofAbschied, all represent some

aspect of death; mvts. III and IV portray life in its most joyful form; Abschiedremembers

life in its major-mode sections, and transforms death into a serene experience at Ewig.

Life and death also determine modality of the passages (major or minor), instrumentation

(bright or dark) and tempi (fast or slow). The choice of key (c minor) for the opening of

Abschiedand its middle death march is a further reference within the repertoire;

Beethovens Funeral March ofEroica, as well as Chopins funeral march prelude, from

Preludes Op. 28, are both in the solemn key of c-minor. Spiritual rebirth is also

symbolized at the end, through the final resolution of c to C.

More generally, we can speak ofDas Lied, in whole and in part, as the

representation of this duality of life and death, and furthermore, a journey towards

finding a resolution for it. While this binary of oppositions could have been acquired

through the works of Nietzsche with his Dionysian vs., Apollonian division, Mahler finds

the ultimate resolution in the philosophy of Far East. This duality is reflected in the

alternation of voices (tenor and alto), the tonal-modal relations (a/A and c/C), tempi,

tessitura (the span of Ewig is substantially narrower than the opening melodies of the

symphony), instrumental colors (light and dark), and ultimately, what Mitchell (1985)

refers to as free vs. strict. (Death is associated with strict sections ofAbschied; life and/or

eternity with the free section.)

Only Mahlers tonal scheme forAbschied(moving from c to C) and the well-

planned ending of Ewig manage to bring a resolution to this polarity. Thus, the


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symbolic world ofAbschied becomes an odyssey for the protagonist, going from the

perplexing shock of the imminence of death to a full reconciliation with its reality.

Textural Aspect of bschied

Throughout Das Lied, there is a free interaction between voice and orchestra, as

well as within the orchestral instruments, which is a result of Mahlers highly controlled,

seemingly free counterpoint. In particular, this interaction becomes one of the progressive

elements ofAbschied, as it nears a fully stratified texture, more conspicuously, in its

recitatives. Here, the voice becomes a fully independent line against the playful melodies

of flute (recits. 1 and 2), or against the mere pedal point (low Cs of celli and contra-

bassi, in recit. 3). This can be seen as a highly evolved form of Mahlers heterophonic

style that could be traced back to the 5 songs ofKindertotenlieder.

More generally, n these recitatives, and perhaps in the entire Abschied, it is

possible to talk about tonal atmospheres and harmonic clouds, by which I am referring

to the permissible latitude for each voice to deviate locally from an ostensible horizontal

and vertical position that would be otherwise dictated by the harmonic vocabulary of the

tonal language. Mahlers application of the technique in Abschiedis highly original, and

does not seem to have any precedent in the immediate history of Western music. In his

hands, the tonal sense of each pitch, each part and entire sections are enhanced, without

resulting in a tonally fractured structure.

The effect proves very useful for the gestural introduction to the march section,

with its decidedly ambiguous temporal organization of different gestures, each implying a


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different tonal center, and thus, creating a suspended sense of tonality. This section too

seems to be controlled by the heterophonic principle (Fig. 36 to 38).

The technique further allows Abschiedto control its incrementally developed

resolution (the disintegration that takes place towards and through Ewig) texturally and

rhythmically.

Finally, this principle also governs the instrumental and spatial distribution of the

pitches, since for it to be effective, distinct timbral and registral contrasts are necessary.

Ab chied: The Way Forward

In particular, Abschiedwas highly influential on the future generations of

composers. Its influence was diverse and multidirectional, and seems to have radically

affected, for good, temporal and spatial senses, tonal associations, melodic construction

(with its asymmetrical lines), phrase structure, contrapuntal relations, timbral

organization, and textural and harmonic elements [at least] in the Western music.

First of all, it is safe to claim that no subsequent style of music remained

unaffected by the liberation of meter in this movement. (For example, even the metric

worldor perhaps, its lack of onein Sequenza for oboe of the 1960s, not to mention

his Sinfonia of 1968, could be easily traced back to the world of Abschied.)

Secondly, there was the modal and tonal fluidity of the piece21

. The tonal

ambiguities ofAbschied exerted a major influence on especially the composers of the

21 To sum up, parallel minor-major oscillations, extensively chromatic lines with exaggerated contours and

octave displacement (e.g. Fig. 2, oboe and flute), unsatisfied melodic fragmentsthemselves a side-


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Page 36 of 41


second Vienese School, i.e Schoenberg, Berg and Webern. One of its earliest influences

can be seen in Pierrot lunaire of 1912 in its entirety, and in particular, song No. 7: Der

kranke Mond, which is scored for solo flute and sprechstimme. (This movement is further

influenced by the private language of the recitatives ofAbschied.)

The free counterpoint ofAbschied, besides its immediate impact, resurfaced in a

highly evolved form in the works of Britten (e.g. the heterophony of the overture to Peter

Grimes), and even Coplands signature pan-tonalism (e.g. Appalachian Spring).

The spatial, thin and selective instrumentation of Abschiedaffected composers as

distant as Webern (Five Pieces for Orchestra) and arguably, Copland (Appalachian

Spring). Webern, for one, also benefited from the pointillistic organization of the work

that is evident in the introduction to unit 3. Still, its layered texture and juxtaposition of

highly contrasting musical lines seems to have influenced the so-called eclectic trends of

post-modernism, which are also inclined toward its complex, yet accessible tonal sense,

perhaps as way forward out of the rigors of Modernism

In short, Abschiedempowered music with freedom in meter, pitch, form and

texture, and sonorities that would prove to have a lasting impact on the future of music

for Ewig -keit.

product of Pentatonicism and vertical sonorities, such as the C+6 chord, that are used to reinforce tonal

ambiguity. To this add restless modulations and a large-scale harmonic scheme that undermines traditional

tonal expectations. Hefling also mentions, dominant preparation and overt cadences are rare (Hefling,

1999).


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Page 37 of 41


Conclusion

Mahler ofDas Lied, and in particular, ofAbschied, can be best identified as a

global composer, one that even in his minute attention to detail would not ignore the

estaltexistence of his composition. His music affords the listener, layman or

professional with an abundance of ideas and details, each of which could be developed in

its own unique direction. Each subsequent generation of composers sees to have paid a

primarily exclusive attention to a handful of these elements (pitch aspect became more

important to the so-called atonalists and dodecaphonists; temporal atmosphere would

appeal to the modernists; etc.) Amid all these trends, however, the music itself has calmly

survived, and confidently remains relevant to our time, both for its sounds and its

meaning.

Mahler himself seems to have once revealed his secret to a lesser-known Sibelius,

indeed at the time when he was preparing for the composition ofDas Lied. In November

1907, he countered a little-known Sibelius, who had just admired symphony for its

severity, style, and its underlying logical motivic connection, with this quick reply

(Lebrecht, 1987/1998):

No; the symphony must be like the world. It must embrace

everything.


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Listening to Das Liedis as if one is passing by a colorful aquarium, everything

existing in time and space. Mahlers symphony and perhaps all of his symphonies, are not

mere individual organic structures, but a large ecosystem for a harmonious co-existence

of many such elements. His works, in effect, are indeed not a mere commentary on the

world in which they exist, but a microcosmic representation of it in its entirety.


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9) Schoenberg, Arnold: Brahms the Progressive (1947), found in Style and Idea;

1975, Faber and Faber/rev. 1984, University of California Press.

Works consulted

1) Smoley, Lewis M.: Gustav Mahlers Symphonies: Critical Commentary on

Recordings Since 1968; 1986, Greenwood Press

2) Adorno, Theodore W.: ahler: a Musical Physiognomy; orig. German, 1971; tr.

1980, University of Chicago Press.

3) Cooke, Deryck: Gustav Mahler: An introduction to His Music; 1980/1988,

Cambridge University Press.

4) Blaukopf, Herta, ed.: Gustav Mahler & Richard Strauss: Correspondences, 1888-

1911; tr. Jephcott; 1980/1984, University of Chicago Press.

5) Mahler, Alma: Mahler: Memoires and Letters; 1940/1968, John Murray, England

6) Schoenberg, Arnold: Gustav Maher(1912/1948) found in Style and Idea; 1975,

Faber and Faber/rev. 1984, University of California Press.

7) Schoenberg, Harold C.: The Lives of the Great Composers; 1970, W. W. Norton

and Company,

8) Watkins, Glenn: Soundings: Music in the Twentieth Century; 1995, Simon and

Schuster, Macmillan


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Recordings

1) Das Liedvon der Erde: O. Klemperer, C. Ludwig, F. Wuderlich; Philharmonia

and New Philharmonia Orchestras; orig. 1967; EMI records.

(L. Bernsteins 1960 recording with WPO, and G. Soltis recording of the piece were also

consulted.)

2) Kindertotenlieder: L. Bernstein, T. Hampson; Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra;

1984, 1991. The album also includes, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and Fnf

Lieder nach Rckert.

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to Professors Paul Reales 2001 class lectures and personal

communications about Das Liedand in particular, Abschied. Besides his illuminating

guidance to source material, I am greatly indebted for his suggestions about the roles of

symbols and gestures, the expansion of tonal and temporal senses, the significance of

composers personal life and philosophy, and the eminence of the ending strategy in

Abschiedin regards to this report.

I am also grateful to Professor Ian Krouse, for his introduction to the work in

terms of its orchestration (1996-7 lectures), and his emphasis on the Orientalism in the

work (2002).

Documents

Gustav Mahler's Everlasting Influence, by Payman Akhlaghi (2001, v01a) A Brief Discussion of "Der Abschied" from "Das Lied von der Erde"