Kathleen Ferrier (contralto)
Richard Lewis (tenor)
Hallé Orchestra (Leader. Laurance Turner), Conductor, Sir John Barbirolli
Although Mahler did not number "The Song of the Earth" among his symphonies, he described it as "A Symphony for Tenor, Contralto, and Orchestra", and it may best be regarded as a fusion of the two forms in which he wrote practically all his music - the orchestral song-cycle and the symphony.
Its six movements are settings of eighth-century Chinese poems in German translations by Hans Bethge - poems that express ecstatic delight in the beauty of the world, bitter regret at the transience of human life, and longing for death as the only release from suffering. They are sung alternately by the tenor and contralto soloists. The first movement is called "The Drinking-Song of Earth's Sorrow"; the second, "Autumn Loneliness". Three movements of a happier character follow, called "Youth", "Beauty", and "Wine in Spring". The last movement has the title
"The Farewell". (Deryck Cooke)