“What the Angels Tell Me”

Cheerful in tempo and cheeky in expression. F major.

The cheerful fifth movement, “Es sungen drei Engel”, is one of Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn songs, (whose text itself is loosely based on a 17th-century church hymn, which Paul Hindemithlater used in its original form in his Symphony “Mathis der Maler”) about the redemption of sins and comfort in belief. Here, a children’s choir imitating bells and a female chorus join the alto solo.

• Also in Des Knaben Wunderhorn, 12 songs (1892-1898) – Lied 12: Es sungen drei Engel einen Sussen Gesang

Manuscript Movement 5: Lied 2: Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck: Bimm bamm. Es sungen drei Engel einen Sussen Gesang

Embrace Everything

Listening Guide