The Song of the Earth (Das Lied von der Erde)

"A revelatory account of Mahler's symphony with voices, noteworthy above all for the outstanding singing from Urmana and the playing of the VPO"
Editors Choice Gramophone Magazine April 2001

Beginning with his acclaimed first recording in this series, of the Sixth Symphony in 1994, Pierre Boulez has been providing valuable new insights into the symphonic output of Mahler. Das Lied von der Erde, a symphony of lieder for two solo voices and orchestra, forms part of this gradually expanding Mahler Symphony Cycle.

Boulez chose to make this recording with the Wiener Philharmoniker and soloists Michael Schade and Violeta Urmana. Michael Schade, the German-Canadian tenor, is a household name, while the young mezzo-soprano Violeta Urmana, native of Lithuania, came to international attention during 1994. She recently performed in Claudio Abbado's new recording of Beethoven's Ninth symphony with the Berliner Philharmoniker.