Mahler’s ‘Song Of The Earth’ In Aberdeen by Mozart, Mahler, Takemitsu, De la (2019/2019), Dirijor Donald Runnicles, Music Hall, Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Mahler’s last word, they say, was “Mozart” – but he’d already said his farewells in music, and nowhere more movingly than in 'Das Lied von der Erde': a ninth symphony in all but name that distils every last drop of life’s sorrow and sweetness into six heartrending songs. It’s a perfect complement for both the youthful sunlight and joy of Mozart’s exuberant 'Haffner' symphony – written for a family celebration in Salzburg – and the eloquent sadness of Takemitsu’s 'Requiem for strings': a poignant meditation on mortality from a composer who embraced both East and West. An evening of ravishing music from the orchestra’s Conductor Emeritus, Donald Runnicles, plus two singers whose unflinching emotional commitment has won international acclaim.