Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn

The folk songs and poems of the collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Youth's Magic Horn), first published in the early 19th century, played a crucial role in Mahler's development as a composer. Encompassing the vast range of expression in these 12 settings - from hauntingly dark tragedy to exuberant comedy - are the two defining lieder singers of the second half of the 20th century, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Like Mahler himself, the Budapest-born, Vienna-trained conductor George Szell exemplified the rich musical tradition of Central Europe.