Das Lied von der Erde

Das Lied von der Erde is a piece of music and symphonic song cycle. It was written by Gustav Mahler in 1908-1909 as a symphony with sonata form. It is a large work of six separate songs for two voices and orchestra. It is based on Hans Bethge's "The Chinese Flute", an anthology of ancient Chinese poetry. It was first performed on November 20, 1911 in Munich.