Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest / Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Gustav and Alma Mahler
With Mahler tongues
Song composer Gustav Mahler immortalised himself in his symphonies as well. As in his Fourth Symphony, featuring the beautiful song »Das irdische Leben«. The songs written by his wife Anna are less well-known; Gustav once wrote to her full of delight: »Your music is good!«. Tonight the two sopranos Christiane Karg and Karen Cargill devote an entire concert evening with to the works of Gustav and Anna Mahler. They are accompanied by the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest under the baton of Canadian maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the former chief conductor of the orchestra and now its honorary conductor.
The songs selected from the oevure of Alma Mahler all date from the time of her marriage to Gustav and reflect the influence of her teacher (and admirer) Alexander von Zemlinsky. Some of her songs were written circa 1900, the year in which Mahler completed his now extremely popular Fourth Symphony, crowning it with the song »Das irdische Leben«, which dates from 1892. At the Elbphilharmonie, the works of the famous husband and wife are juxtaposed on an equal footing.
Performers
Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest
Christiane Karg soprano
Karen Cargill mezzo-soprano
conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Programme
Valentin Sylvestrov
Prayer for Ukraine
Alma Mahler
Die stille Stadt
In meines Vaters Garten
Laue Sommernacht
Bei dir ist es traut
Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 4 in G major for large orchestra and soprano
Subscription
Elbphilharmonie Abo 1