The Song of the Earth

In his »Lied von der Erde«, Gustav Mahler was searching for the definitive song of the earth. Having retreated to an Alpine village, he wrestled in his composition to achieve a union between cosmic powers and the human voice. The contemporary perspective of the Australian composer Brett Dean yields another pastorale: »A piece about glorious birdsong, the threat that it faces and the soulless noise that we’re left with when they’re all gone.«

Concert recording by WDR