Roman River Music Spring Concert- Das lied von der Erde

To book tickets, please visit: https://wildarts.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173673916

Marta Fontanals-Simmons – mezzo
Xavier Hetherington – tenor
Orlando Jopling – conductor

“Das Lied von der Erde seems to capture Mahler’s final breath – the struggles and reflections of a truly great composer at the end of his life.” Orlando Jopling.

Wild Arts presents Mahler’s stunning reflection on death, time, and transience in the beautiful St Peter ad Vincula Church in Coggeshall.

Composed at the end of Mahler’s life and set to Hans Bethge’s German translations of classical Chinese poems, Das Lied von der Erde sees the composer standing “face to face with nothingness”, recalling past joys and sorrows before turning softly towards death and life’s renewal.

In Iain Farrington’s remarkable reorchestration, the vast emotional landscape of Mahler’s original is distilled into a more personal and direct musical experience. The transparency of the ensemble allows each instrument – and each musical line – to be heard with new vividness, revealing subtle colours and inner voices often hidden within the large orchestral score.

The performance lasts approximately 1 hour with no interval.

‘Marta Fontanals-Simmons reinforces the emotion in the words with her rich tone, eloquent legato and impeccable intonation and diction.’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Xavier Hetherington sang with clarity and heartfelt poetry, with the character of each element brought out in its distinctive musical signature. I was choking back the tears.’ [BachTrack]