Rückert-Lieder

The Rückert Lieder, five songs for voice and piano or orchestra by Gustav Mahler on texts by Friedrich Rückert. In contrast to the Kindertotenlieder on texts by the same author, these are not a song-cycle, but to each separate individual works.

The collection includes:

Along with the songs and Revelge The Tamboursg'sell (on texts from Des Knaben Wunderhorn ), the collection of Mahler 's Des Knaben Wunderhorn were added later, they were first published in 1905 Seven songs from the last time under the title.

The first performance of the four songs in 1901 resulting in the orchestral version was on 29 January 1905 in Vienna under the direction of the composer. In the same concert and the Death of Children and six songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn were premiered. The fifth song, If you love for beauty, was not orchestrated by Mahler himself, but Max Puttmann, an employee of the issuing publisher.

Instrumentation

The size and composition of the orchestra varies from song to song, but the performance of the entire song cycle requires in any case the following instruments: 2 flutes, 2 oboes ( one also oboe d' amore ), English horn, 2 clarinets ( in B and A), 2 Bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, celesta, harp, piano and strings

The Austrian composer and conductor Gerhard gift has written two transcriptions for chamber ensemble:

• Three Rückert-Lieder for high voice, violin, viola and piano, Op 36b ( If you love for beauty, not looks to me ..., I am the world ...) ( 1998), and
• Five Rückert Songs for medium voice, violin, viola, cello and piano, Op 44 ( 2002-03 ), received by the ALEA Ensemble with baritone Alexander Puhrer latter version 2005.