# Mahler Song Cycles



## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

There are many threads with Mahler Symphonies at the fore, but not so much with his Song Cycles. There is some irony here because for about half a century GM was known for his cycles, while his Symphonies were generally considered unplayable and unlistenable. So please list some favorites.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

For starters. The three main song cycles (I regard Das Lied von der Erde as a symphony, in line with Mahler's own decision) are among my favourite compositions of all time.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Art Rock said:


> For starters. The three main song cycles (I regard Das Lied von der Erde as a symphony, in line with Mahler's own decision) are among my favourite compositions of all time.


Couldn't agree more about the D. F-D. It was the first Mahler lieder that I ever heard and it's still a favourite. I'm not as firm as you on the DLVDE but that's ok. I've got the Chailly which I like but I've not heard the Boulez yet.

Btw, it's ok Rogerx, we know that there are other threads on the same topic but we don't care:lol:


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

I've never been a fan of DFD's take on Mahler outside the Das Lied von der Erde. I would go to Thomas Hampson at any time.

I have not listened to a lot of Christa Ludwig Mahler Lied recordings, but I remember being awestruck by Janet Baker and modern mezzo Alice Coote doesn't fall short in my opinion.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

My go-tos are Hampson with Bernstein/Vienna, Baker with Barbirolli. I also really like Prey/Haitink/RCO but I know some don't. For Des Knaben Wunderhorn, which somehow has not been mentioned yet, I like Haitink/RCO with Jessye Norman and John Shirley-Quirk, as well as Chailly/RCO with a handful of singers whose names escape me.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Sadly (for it will complicate matters a lot!), we cannot just dismiss DLVDE from this discussion. OK it's a symphony. So is Shostakovich 14 and Britten's Spring Symphony. But they are song cycles as well. There are many very fine DLVDE recordings and I am not in a state of sufficient preparedness to go through my own preferences just yet. But for the other cycles, Janet Baker's record with Barbirolli is a great one. I do also like the DFD record. I listen often (and with pleasure) to the Boulez record that Art Rock pictured in his fine selection. I'll probably think of others as we go along.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

These are my four "go to" CD's of Mahler orchestral songs:


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I have been listening to Kathleen Ferrier with Bruno Walter and the VPO in Kindertotenlieder repeatedly the last few days. I am not a German Speaker, and for years Christa Ludwig has been my go to, but this just sounds so poignant...I also have the Quasthoff/Boulez disc cited earlier, very fine.
I also consider Das Lied a song cycle, with some lopsided proportions (Der Abschied).


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

I think Peter Mattei sung a much better Wanderer Song under Michael Gielen's baton. Recordings available only in his latest and pricey complete set.










I'm now wondering how he hasn't recorded a single Earth song when he's one of the best Germanic baritones out there. Guess there is an excess of very competent mezzos and audiences would rather listen to this kind of performance. Sarah Connolly has released her second _Das Lied von Der Erde_ just now! Along Jurowski, for Pentatone in Berlin.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Absolutely essential for all three song cycles, as far as I am concerned. The performace of _Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen_ is unbelievably moving.


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## Spy Car (Nov 15, 2017)

I return to this again and again:


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Spy Car said:


> I return to this again and again:


How does this compare with Fassbaender's recording with Chailly?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I like these recordings of the piano score versions (even though _Kindertotenlieder_ was designated as an orchestral song cycle). In fact, these three cover all of Mahler's songs, as far as I'm aware.

_Des Knaben Wunderhorn_ includes two songs which were removed from the original twelve-song collection and replaced with two others, and also Mahler's piano score of _Das himmlische Leben_, a song which was never intended as part of the _Wunderhorn_ collection.


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