SONGS OF A WAYFARER

DURATION 11:30 Three movements from Mahler's 1885 in a transcription for concert band: At a Wedding, and Farewell. All of the songs have the flavor of folk music, with pentatonic melodies and gentle, simple harmonies. But in Mahlers hands this musical language becomes evocative and almost impressionistic, full of contrasts between simple joy and tragic sorrow. And always nostalgic in a Mahleresque way. These adaptations/transcriptions by Steven Paxton provide a way to introduce band musicians to the music of a great European master composer who did not himself compose for band.