Rückert-Lieder


Rückert-Lieder is a collection of five Lieder for voice and orchestra or piano by Gustav Mahler, based on poems written by Friedrich Rückert. The songs were first published in Sieben Lieder aus letzter Zeit.

The songs

  1. Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! – 14 June 1901
  2. Ich atmet’ einen linden Duft – July 1901
  3. Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen – 16 August 1901
  4. Um Mitternacht – Summer 1901
  5. Liebst du um Schönheit – August 1902
The first four songs were premiered on 29 January 1905 in Vienna, Mahler himself conducting, together with his Kindertotenlieder. The last song, Liebst du um Schönheit, was not orchestrated by Mahler himself but by Max Puttmann, an employee of the first publisher, after Mahler's death.
The set of songs was not intended as a cycle: the Lieder were originally published independently from each other, connected only by the poetry and common themes. However, they were later published together and most often have been performed together and come to be known as the Rückert-Lieder, although Mahler did set more texts of Rückert. Artists such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Kathleen Ferrier have chosen their own order of the Lieder.

Publication

The songs were first published in 1910 by C.F. Kahnt of Leipzig as Sieben Lieder aus letzter Zeit, together with Revelge and Der Tamboursg’sell in the order:
  1. Ich atmet’ einen linden Duft
  2. Liebst du um Schönheit
  3. Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder
  4. Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
  5. Um Mitternacht
  6. Revelge '
  7. Der Tamboursg’sell '
Universal Edition has published a score consisting only of the five Rückert settings.

Instrumentation

The size and constitution of the orchestra varies from song to song, but the instruments required for performance of the complete set are as follows: two flutes, two oboes, oboe d'amore, English horn, two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, bass tuba, timpani, celesta, harp, piano and strings.
The Austrian composer and conductor Gerhard Präsent has written two arrangements for small chamber ensemble:
the latter recorded by the ALEA Ensemble with the baritone Alexander Puhrer.
Blicke mir nicht...Ich atmet' einen linden...Ich bin der Welt...Um MitternachtLiebst du um Schönheit
FluteFlute2 Flutes
OboeOboeOboeOboe d'amore2 Oboes
English hornEnglish horn
Clarinet Clarinet 2 Clarinets 2 Clarinets 2 Clarinets
Bassoon2 Bassoons2 Bassoons2 Bassoons2 Bassoons
Contrabassoon
Horn 3 Horns 2 Horns 4 Horns 4 Horns
2 Trumpets
3 Trombones
Bass tuba
Timpani
Celesta
HarpHarpHarpHarpHarp
Piano
Violin IViolinViolin IViolin I
Violin IIViolin IIViolin II
ViolaViolaViolaViola
CelloCelloCello
ContrabassContrabass

Discography