MAHLER ▪︎ Urlicht / Primal Light

Artists (from left to right): Madlaina Küng (double bass 4) Božo Paradžik (double bass 1) Marko Hristoskov (double bass 2) Ana Carolina Lima de Almeida (double bass 3) Gustav Mahler's famous orchestral composition "Urlicht" (Eng. "Primal Light") was used as fourth movement in his Symphony No 2 "Resurrection". Mahler used it again also in "Des Knaben Wunderhorn", however with some major alterations, like in a different key. I hope you will enjoy this breathtaking music in my instrumentation for four double basses. It is in D flat major, just like in the symphony. Credits and compliments to my talented students from Hochschule Luzern from the generation 2020 for their wonderful performance of this beautiful, but very difficult and tricky piece to perform in this formation. Eternal beauty of this composition was supported by fantastic instruments: three of four double basses used for this recording have been made by Derek High, one of the finest contemporary double bass makers. Recorded in September 2020 in "Salquin", big concert hall of the brand new building of the HSLU-Musik (live performance of this piece was part of the opening celebration of the new building).