Des Knaben Wunderhorn; No. 10: Lob des hohen Verstandes, low voice (C, transposed) Cover Image

Des Knaben Wunderhorn; No. 10: Lob des hohen Verstandes, low voice (C, transposed): Low Voice, Orchestra Accompaniment, Conductor Score

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Des Knaben Wunderhorn; No. 10: Lob des hohen Verstandes, low voice (C, transposed) Cover Image
Des Knaben Wunderhorn; No. 10: Lob des hohen Verstandes, low voice (C, transposed): Low Voice, Orchestra Accompaniment, Conductor Score

Des Knaben Wunderhorn; No. 10: Lob des hohen Verstandes, low voice (C, transposed): Low Voice, Orchestra Accompaniment, Conductor Score

By Gustav Mahler/ Folktale texts, as published by Achim von Arnim and Clemens Brentano

Item: 36-A883201
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Description
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) began composing the songs of DES KNABEN WUNDERHORN (THE BOY'S MAGIC HORN) in 1892, finishing in 1901. Comprised of 15 songs total by the end, each sets folktale texts, as published by Achim von Arnim and Clemens Brentano, to music with piano accompaniment, though some also have orchestral accompaniment. The tenth song, LOB DES HOHEN VERSTANDES (IN PRAISE OF HIGH INTELLECT), is a humorous song depicting a singing competition between a cuckoo and a nightingale. The judge, who happens to be a donkey, obviously favors the cuckoo. This Kalmus edition is transposed to the key of C major for low voice. Instrumentation: 2.2.2+ECl.2 : 4.1.1.1: Timp: Perc(1): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set): solo voice. Reprint edition.

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Vocal Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 8-89-270706-X
ISBN13: 979-8-89-270706-0
UPC: 659859135861
SKU: 36-A883201
Instrumentation: 2.2.2+ECl.2: 4.1.1.1: Timp: Perc(1): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set): solo voice

More about this title

About the Composer: Gustav Mahler

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was a Bohemian-born conductor and composer whose ten symphonies and numerous vocal works fundamentally reshaped late nineteenth-century music. Beyond the concert hall, Mahler held positions as director of the Vienna Court Opera and later the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where his exacting standards and innovative interpretations influenced an entire generation of musicians. His compositional voice blends the symphonic ambitions of the German Romantic tradition with folk melodies, Jewish liturgical references, and a modernist sensibility that straddles the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Mahler's song cycles, particularly Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy's Magic Horn), demonstrate his gift for setting folk texts with orchestral sophistication. These songs avoid sentimentality in favor of irony, dark humor, and structural ingenuity, making them rewarding vehicles for singers who can navigate both intimate lyricism and dramatic characterization.

Why we love this

This song captures Mahler at his most playful, marrying a deceptively simple folk narrative with orchestral detail that rewards careful listening. The humor of a donkey judging a singing contest between cuckoo and nightingale gives singers permission to perform with character and personality rather than operatic polish. The transposition to C major makes this work accessible to mature low voices seeking repertoire with genuine wit.

What to expect

Droll, tongue-in-cheek, and utterly assured. Mahler gives the cuckoo's repetitive calls genuine charm and the nightingale genuine dignity, only to undermine both with the donkey's absurd verdict. The orchestration ranges from delicate to boisterous, supporting the vocalist's journey through this topsy-turvy world with wit that never becomes mean-spirited.

Who it's for

Low voice singers with solid technique who enjoy character roles and can handle the German text with confidence. This work suits baritones and basses preparing recital programs, graduate vocalists building diverse repertoire, or singers in academic or professional opera programs seeking lighter material with substance.

How to get the most out of it

  • Establish who the donkey character is before rehearsal begins; this song depends on the vocalist's willingness to embrace the comedy without breaking the musical line.
  • Work closely with the conductor on orchestral cues. Mahler's orchestration is alive with character moments that should align precisely with the vocal part.
  • Balance the narrative voice with genuine singing; the humor emerges from commitment to the music, not from exaggeration or mugging.
  • Pay attention to text clarity in German; the listener should follow the absurdist plot and grasp why the donkey's judgment is so richly ridiculous.

How to use it

Pair this with other Mahler songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn for a thematic song cycle program, or program it standalone in a German art song recital where it provides welcome tonal relief from heavier dramatic material. Its self-contained narrative and orchestral independence make it equally suitable for concert programming alongside other Romantic vocal works.

Skills your students will build

  • German diction and text-painting in a classical Lied context
  • Character singing and narrative interpretation
  • Ensemble coordination with a full orchestra in a solo vocal work
  • Maintaining musical integrity while performing comedic material
  • Reading conductor scores and responding to orchestral cues

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