Page 202 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

200 EXOTIC WORLDS IN MUSIC

Romantic themes and images in Das Lied von der Erde

The Wanderer Wine
A solitary protagonist A goblet of wine beckons
searches for comfort for the Wanderer, representing
his lonely heart and solace both joy in life and a desire
in the face of life’s brevity. for oblivion.

Galloping horses
Some maidens are
drawn to handsome A howling ape
young men who An ape cries out on
a tombstone in the
appear on horseback, moonlight, symbolizing
but their passion is
fleeting and unfulfilled death and the transitory
nature of life.
as the horses carry
the riders away.

Setting sun and rising moon An extinguished lamp
Darkness approaches as the The light of love burns bright
inevitable end to the day, just as but cannot burn forever and
death will follow life—but with will, in time, fade, to be taken
the promise that a new day will over by the darkness of death.
dawn and nature will persist.

assembled by Achim von Arnem of serene acceptance of life and serenity and clarity which I had
and Clemens Brentano in their death, rather than the keenness for acquired. I have to start a new
collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn turbulent self-dramatization of both life as a complete beginner.”
(The Boy’s Magic Horn), published displayed in western Romanticism. Bethge’s adaptation of the
in 1805 and 1808. For Lieder eines When Mahler read a copy of Die original Chinese texts was not
fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a chinesische Flöte (The Chinese particularly faithful. He knew no
Wayfarer, 1885–1886), Mahler had Flute)—a collection of Chinese Chinese and used a German
written his own texts in a similar poems adapted by German poet translation of a French translation
folk style, with a wide range of Hans Bethge—in autumn 1907, the of the original. In effect, Bethge’s
emotional moods projected against composer was already familiar with poems were beautifully written
the surrounding, vividly perceived the artistic world within its pages. paraphrases, evoking an emotional
world of nature. Mahler’s life was also in a turbulent world that was by turns anguished,
state, coloring his view of life and poignant, idyllic, resigned,
East meets West death. The devastating death of drunken, or quietly radiant, all
Mahler did not, however, ignore his four-year-old daughter in the reflected in exquisitely drawn
eastern culture. The song cycle summer of 1907 was followed by scenes from nature. This approach
Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the the onset of a heart condition that connected more to the world of
Death of Children) composed in required Mahler to slow down. In German lyric poetry that was
1901–1904 was based on poems a letter to the conductor Bruno familiar to Mahler than to the
by Friedrich Rückert (1788–1866), Walter, his former assistant at the 9th-century Chinese originals, with
a German professor of eastern Vienna Court Opera, Mahler wrote: their ultra-concentrated diction.
languages. Rückert’s writings were “I have always known that I must Still, Mahler alluded to exotic
influenced by the eastern concept die … but all at once I have lost the influences by using the oriental

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