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Which texts does Mahler set in his Eighth Symphony?
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Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major is structured in two expansive parts, each utilizing a distinct literary text:12
- Part One: Mahler sets the ancient medieval Roman Catholic hymn for Pentecost, Veni creator spiritus ("Come, creator spirit").12
- Part Two: Mahler sets the final scene from Part Two of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s epic drama Faust, which depicts the redemption of Faust’s soul.12