This CD contains two song cycles by Mahler in a version for small orchestra, sung by the beautiful contralto Sara Mingardo. The Kindertotenlieder are based on the poignant texts of Rückert, who wrote hundreds of poems to deal with the death of two of his children. When Mahler started the cycle, he was not even a father yet, but he recognized the grief: his own parents had lost several children.
The gloomy Quartettsatz that he composed at the age of sixteen is said to have been written on the occasion of the death of his beloved brother Ernst. The lyrics of Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen were written by Mahler himself to deal with a broken heart. The version for small orchestra was made by Arnold Schoenberg, who often reduced large orchestral works so that they could be performed in his Verein Für Musikalische Privataufführungen, an association founded to promote contemporary works. The reduced version of Berceuse Elégiaque was also made for this association. The premiere of Busoni's work was conducted by Mahler in 1911 in what turned out to be his last concert. The composer died about eight weeks later. (CP)more
