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Songs of the Earth

Donald Runnicles and the 大象传媒 SSO are joined by Kelley O'Connor and Paul Groves to perform Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde alongside works by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu.

Live from City Halls Glasgow
Presented by Tom Redmond

Donald Runnicles and the 大象传媒 SSO are joined by Kelley O'Connor and Paul Groves to perform Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde, alongside works by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu.

Takemitsu: A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden
Takemitsu: Requiem

8.00 Interval

8.20 Part Two
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde

Kelley O'Connor (mezzo soprano)
Paul Groves (tenor)
Donald Runnicles (conductor)
大象传媒 Scottish Symphony Orchestra

"The dear earth everywhere blossoms in spring and grown green", the closing words of Mahler's symphonic song-cycle Das Lied von der Erde. Inspired by a volume of Chinese poetry it sets a meditation of earthly beauty and existential angst amid some of the most imaginative and powerful writing for orchestra from the 20th Century.

And dreams of the natural world haunt the music of Toru Takemitsu. The Japanese composer best known to European audiences: his music is both modern and in touch with the traditions of Japan. The concert opens with 2 of his most characteristic works. 'A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden' is music inspired by a vivid dream in which birds swirl through a garden situated on the head of Marcel Duchamp. This is paired with the composer's terse but haunting 'Requiem' for string orchestra from 1957 - the piece which really rocketed him towards international recognition.

Photo credit: Simon Pauly

2 hours, 28 minutes

Last on

Thu 4 Apr 2019 19:30
大象传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Toru Takemitsu

    A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden

    Orchestra: 大象传媒 Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Donald Runnicles.

  • Toru Takemitsu

    Requiem

    Orchestra: 大象传媒 Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Donald Runnicles.

  • Traditional arr. Toshio Hosokawa

    Kuroda-Bushi

    Performer: Kolbeinn Bjarnason.

  • Paul McCartney

    Hey Jude

    Music Arranger: Toru Takemitsu. Composer: John Lennon. Performer: Claudio Tumeo.

  • Satoko Fujii

    This is About You - Fall from "The Seasons"

    Performer: Satoko Fujii. Orchestra: Satoko Fujii Orchestra.

  • Keiko Abe

    Wind in the Bamboo Grove

    Performer: Evelyn Glennie.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Das Lied von der Erde

    Orchestra: 大象传媒 Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Orchestra: Donald Runnicles.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Piano Quartet Movement in A minor

    Performer: Daniel Hope. Performer: Paul Neubauer. Performer: David Finckel. Performer: Wu Han.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON : 479 4609.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 001.

  • Hubert Parry

    There is an old belief (Songs of Farewell)

    Choir: Tenebrae. Director: Nigel Short.
    • Hubert Parry: Songs of Farewell: Tenebrae/Nigel Short.
    • Signum Classics.

  • Hubert Parry

    Lord, let me know mine end (Songs of Farewell)

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • SIGNUM.

Broadcast

  • Thu 4 Apr 2019 19:30
    大象传媒 Radio 3

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