Childhood imagination

One of my favorite German fairytales, these Bremer Stadtmusikanten chocolates from Vosges are too cute to eat!

Reminds of the wood engraving (Moritz von Schwind—after Jacques Callot) that inspired the funeral march to Mahler 1, called the Hunter's funeral. 


The main thematic material is a twisted version of Frere Jacques in a minor key. It astounds me to learn that Mahler started this (despite taking 4 years to finish) just as Brahms finished his 3rd Symphony in 1884. And a mere 5 years away from the birth of modernism with Debussy and the Paris World Fair. The timeline of history can be so bewilderingly compact! Brahms, Mahler and Debussy could not represent 3 more contrasting directions of music. And I count all 3 among my all-time favorite five composers. Well, maybe make that top ten.