Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (‘Songs of a Wayfarer’) is a song cycle by Gustav Mahler on his own texts. The cycle of four Lieder for low voice (often performed by women as well as men) was written around 1884-1885 in the wake of Mahler’s unhappy love for soprano Johanna Richter (1858-1943), whom he met while conductor of the opera house in Kassel, Germany, and orchestrated and revised in the 1890s.

---

A listening guide of Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen – Intro with Lew Smoley.

A listening guide of Kindertotenlieder – Oft denk’ ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen with Lew Smoley.

A listening guide of Kindertotenlieder – In diesem Wetter, In diesem Braus with Lew Smoley.

A listening guide of Kindertotenlieder – Nun will die Sonn’ so hell aufgeh’n with Lew Smoley.

A listening guide of Kindertotenlieder – Wenn dein Mütterlein with Lew Smoley.

A listening guide of Lieder Und Gesänge Aus Dem Jugendzeit – Intro with Lew Smoley from ClassicalPodcasts.com.

This song is the first of the Wunderhorn Lieder for Voice and Piano. It is titled “Um sclimme Kinder artig zu machen” (To make bad children good) and is much longer than any from the previous collection. The quick and witty style will challenge the novice tubist with soft dynamics and repeated articulations.

“To teach naughty children to be good”. Original German folk song: “Es kam ein Herr zum Schlösseli”.

---

A listening guide of Lieder Und Gesänge Aus Dem Jugendzeit – Un Schlimme Kinder Artig Zu Machen with Lew Smoley.

The second scherzo of the work is provided by the fifth movement. Like the first, it opens with a horn theme. In this movement Mahler uses an extensive variety of key signatures, which can change as often as every few measures. The middle section features a solo violin and solo flute, which represent the bird the singer describes.

---

A listening guide of Das Lied von der Erde – Der Trunkene im Frühling with Lew Smoley.

A listening guide of Kindertotenlieder – Nun seh’ ich wohl, warum so dunkle Flammen with Lew Smoley.

A minstrel that runs through the forest finds a bone under a tree, and cuts a flute. When he plays the flute, the voice of the murdered youngest brother, who tells the story of his unfortunate death, sounds. The minstrel feels that he can not leave this story untold and goes on his way to the castle to reveal the true nature of the queen’s fiancée.

---

A listening guide of Das Klagende Lied – Der Spielmann with Lew Smoley.