Gustav Mahler - Songs on the Death of Children - Kindertotenlieder

The "Kindertotenlieder" (Songs on the Death of Children) are a song cycle by Gustav Mahler, composed between 1901 and 1904. The cycle consists of five songs based on poems by Friedrich Rückert, expressing the sorrow and despair Mahler felt after the death of his own daughter. The first song, "Nun will die Sonn&so hell aufgeh&begins with a gentle and delicate theme introduced by the strings. The lyrics describe the beauty of the morning, but for the mourner the world is dark and dreary without his child. The second song, "Nun seh&ich wohl, warum so dunkle Flammen" is a slow and dreamy waltz that evokes memories of the lost child. The lyrics describe the smile of the child now lost forever. The third song, "Wenn dein Mütterlein" is the most emotional song in the cycle. The lyrics describe the absence of the child and the endless sadness caused by the loss. The fourth song, "Oft denk&ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen" begins with a simple and beautiful theme played by the solo violin. The lyrics describe the idea that the child has only gone away for a while and will soon return. The fifth and final song, "In diesem Wetter ", begins with a stormy theme introduced by the brass section. The lyrics describe the immeasurable sadness caused by the child&death and the hopelessness of life without the child. Overall, the "Kindertotenlieder" is a harrowing work that expresses Mahler&own sorrow and despair and sends a universal message of sorrow and hope. The music is tender and...