Tamboursg\u2019sell is the last composed of Mahler\u2019s Wunderhorn settings. Like Revelge, it is sung by a doomed drummer. Rather than lying in the field, however, this drummer lies in prison. Where Revelge was manic, this song is more heavy and mournful. The drum rolls here are slower and more deliberate, and are balanced by lamenting woodwind trills. The song itself is most effective at a slow tempo.
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A listening guide of Des Knaben Wunderhorn - Der Tambourgsell with Lew Smoley.