From the intimate to the universal, Gustav Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde and Vivian Fung’s Prayer transcend suffering and struggle to give a voice to humanity. These emotive pieces evoke feelings of grief, fear, hope and wonder.
Mahler’s life was marked by a string of tragedies as he began to compose his ninth Symphony. In rapid succession he lost his daughter, his position at the Vienna Opera and his health. It was against this backdrop that Mahler found inspiration in Chinese poetry and penned one of his most compelling and personal compositions, a piece that showcases the talents of Quebec soloists Michèle Losier and Frédéric Antoun. Composed and created during lockdown, Prayer transfigures chants by Hildegard von Bingen.
Fung, Prayer
Mahler, Das Lied von der Erde (arr.: Schoenberg, Riehn)
