The Power of persuasion
Every place where his ever changing life takes him, Gustav Mahler passionately falls in love with another young lady. The “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen”, “Des Knaben Wunderhorn”, his 1st Symphony – all are inspired by women... Also Angelika Kirchschlager has a special connection to Mahler. As a celebrated recitalist and concert performer she is a frequent guest on all major international concert stages. The works by Gustav Mahler are an essential element of her repertoire. “Mahler has accompanied me since my student days. The “Rheinlegendchen” was my first Mahler song. After that came the “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen”, which, by the way, were the first songs I ever sang with orchestra. Mahler is often sung in a very holy, very glorified and studied manner.

In contrast, I approach the Mahler songs in the same way I approach a song by Schubert or Brahms, by bringing my own emotions into play. I try to take a more natural approach to Mahler. Getting older, I find it easier to allow myself certain freedoms. The real challenge is figuring out the fascinating thought processes of great poets and composers, who usually knew more about life than we do. This is why working with these songs is always so exciting and rewarding

Gustav Mahler:
A visionary and pioneer of his time The list of Gustav Mahler’s admirers reads like a Who’s Who: Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Gustav Klimt, Stefan Zweig, Leopold Stokowski, Adolf Loos or Thomas Mann who immortalizes him as a literary monument with his novella “Death in Venice”. During his years in Vienna (1897-1907), Gustav Mahler was director of the Vienna Court Opera. He introduced groundbreaking reforms to what at the time was a very traditional opera house: He did away with the antiquated stage decor and rigid poses of the singers, instead using stage sets, plot and music to create a dramatic whole. Around that time, Mahler also composes his 3rd to his 6th Symphony and the Rückert-Lieder. For relaxation, he enjoys brisk and long walks in the woods and swimming in cold water. Mahler’s vision of the world is characterized by the religion of nature and philosophical theories which speak through his music and thus his music hit the nerve of that time.