Four Double Basses in Concert

What could have prompted Gustav Mahler to compose a work as unclassifiable as this one? Written between 1907 and 1908, a pivotal period in Mahler's life, The Song of the Earth occupies a special place within his oeuvre. It combines the “fin de siècle” spirit with the fascination for the exotic that was spreading amongst his peers at the time. Vienna was in turmoil when this music was composed, and the piece oscillates between the notions of farewell and new beginnings. With a lot of layers to peel back, The Song of the Earth definitely merits a closer look.

From the pioneers of musique concrete to the stars of 21st century clubbing, Qobuz is celebrating eight women who have left their own distinct marks on electronic music over the past fifty years.

A child prodigy in his native country, the Brazilian pianist who passed away in November 2021 kept his distance from the noisy fanfare of fame. His enormous hands and his natural and virtuoso technique always assisted his full, powerful and mellow sound. Here Qobuz looks back at the career of a musician that for a long time was the “best-kept secret in the world of the piano”.