In Gustav Mahler's first four symphonies many of the themes originate in his own settings of folk poems from the collection 'Des Knaben Wunderhorn' (The Boy's Magic Horn). A case in point, 'Symphony No. 4' is built around a single song, 'Das himmlische Leben' (The Heavenly Life) which Mahler had composed some eight years earlier, in 1892. The song presents a child's vision of Heaven and is hinted at throughout the first three movements. In the fourth, marked `Sehr behaglich' (Very comfortably), the song is heard in full from a solo soprano instructed by Mahler to sing: `with serene, childlike expression; completely without parody'.
1) I. Bedächtig. Nicht Eilen - Minnesota Orchestra ()
2) II. In Gemächlicher Bewegung. Ohne Hast - Minnesota Orchestra ()
3) III. Ruhevoll (Poco Adagio) - Minnesota Orchestra ()
4) IV. Sehr Behaglich - Carolyn Sampson/Minnesota Orchestra ()