On June 5, 1972, the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, organized by the United Nations, took place. It was here that it was officially recognized that economic development could not continue without considering environmental care, marking a milestone in the history of environmental awareness. Since then, this day has been commemorated as World Environment Day.
This day is an opportunity to reflect on our responsibility for the conservation of the planet and to remember that nature not only inspires us but also needs us. At the Reina Sofía School of Music, we celebrate this day with music as a form of awareness and commitment. In this case, with Mahler and his song cycle in the form of a symphony, Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth). Written during the tragic final years of the composer’s life, it is a profound meditation on the relationship between human beings and nature, the transience of life, and the beauty of the world around us.
In the third movement, Von der Jugend (Of Youth), Mahler draws inspiration from Chinese poetry to evoke a serene and luminous scene, where the harmony between man and his environment becomes a symbol of balance and contemplation.
Through its delicate lyricism and refined color, the music invites us to pause, observe, and value natural beauty—the very beauty that is threatened today by human action. May artistic sensitivity also drive us to care for the world we inhabit!
MAHLER, Gustav
Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) for tenor, alto or baritone and orchestra (arrangement for flute and piano by R. Kornfeil)
III. Behaglich heiter. “Von der Jugend”
Ana Ferraz, flute
Luis Arias Fernández, piano
Of Youth:
“In the center of the pond
there is a pavilion made of porcelain
green and white.
Like a tiger’s back
the jade bridge arches
to the pavilion.
Inside the little house, friends are sitting,
beautifully dressed, drinking, chatting;
some are jotting down verses.
Their silk sleeves slip
backwards, their silk hats
fall merrily to their necks.
On the quiet surface
of the pond’s water, everything is shown
wonderfully as a mirror image.
Everything is seen upside down
in the porcelain pavilion
green and white.
The bridge looks like a half-moon,
with its inverted arch. The friends,
beautifully dressed, drinking, chatting.”
