Composer

:

Gustav Mahler

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song: Art Song

Compose Date

:

1904

Publication Date

:

1905

First Performance

:

Jan 29, 1905

Average_duration

:

6:32

Gustav Mahler's "In diesem Wetter, in diesem Braus" is a song from his song cycle "Das Lied von der Erde" (The Song of the Earth). The song was composed in 1908 and premiered in Munich in 1911, after Mahler's death. The song is written for tenor and orchestra and is the fifth movement of the cycle. The song is set to a poem by Chinese poet Li Bai, translated into German by Hans Bethge. The poem describes the beauty of nature and the transience of life. The music reflects the poem's themes, with a sweeping orchestral introduction that evokes the stormy weather described in the text. The tenor enters with a mournful melody, singing of the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. The song is in D major and is marked "Sehr trotzig" (very defiant) in the score. The music is characterized by its dramatic contrasts, with the stormy orchestral passages contrasting with the lyrical vocal lines. The vocal part is challenging, requiring a tenor with a powerful voice and a wide range. The song is divided into three sections. The first section is a dramatic orchestral introduction, with pounding timpani and swirling strings. The second section features the tenor singing the poem's text, accompanied by a lyrical orchestral melody. The third section returns to the stormy orchestral music of the opening, with the tenor singing a final, defiant statement of the poem's theme. Overall, "In diesem Wetter, in diesem Braus" is a powerful and emotional song that reflects Mahler's preoccupation with the themes of life, death, and the beauty of nature. Its dramatic contrasts and challenging vocal part make it a favorite of many tenors and a highlight of Mahler's song cycle.

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